What the Hell Is Going On

WTH is Going On With Birthright Citizenship? Adam White Explains Jan 30, 2025

On President Trump’s first day in office, he issued an executive order titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” attempting to change the current understanding of the Fourteenth Amendment by declaring that the children of illegal immigrants or people on temporary visas born in the United States are not granted citizenship. While many Americans may agree that the unfortunate realities of “birth tourism” and “anchor babies” in the U.S. need to be curbed or stopped, Trump’s executive order has been criticized as unconstitutional and the wrong way to approach the issue. How are presidents of both parties subverting Congress in their pursuit of legislative goals? And how did President Obama’s action on DACA and President Biden’s declaration on the Equal Rights Amendment help create precedent for Trump’s actions today?

Adam White is the Laurence H. Silberman Chair in Constitutional Governance and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on the Supreme Court and the administrative state. Concurrently, he codirects the Antonin Scalia Law School’s C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State. Before joining AEI, he was a research fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

Read the transcript here.

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WTH Extra, 300th Episode Edition! Trump Finally Gets His Honeymoon. Dany and Marc Discuss Jan 23, 2025

In the 300th episode of What the Hell is Going On? Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Donald Trump finally gets his honeymoon. When Trump first entered the Oval Office in 2017, the Democratic Party was in full “resist” mode, Trump was a Washington outsider, and protests engulfed America’s capital. Today, Trump enters office understanding the levers of government and how to wield them, issuing a flurry of executive orders and memoranda putting federal employees back to work, attempting to end birthright citizenship, canceling federal DEI programs, and more. How will Trump’s second term differ from his first? And how long will Trump’s political honeymoon last?

Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.

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WTH: Russia is Weaker Than Most Believe. George Barros Explains Jan 16, 2025

Many who follow Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have come to the same conclusion: Russia can defeat Ukraine with its “incredible” strength. However, Russia is much weaker than even many in the American media let on. The Russian military is bleeding troops for minor gains on the battlefield, running out of men to fight, and has so little equipment it’s turning to movie studios to recoup donated Soviet military equipment from the 1950s. How long can Putin continue his illegal war on Ukraine? How can Trump leverage Russia’s weakness to bring Putin to the negotiating table?

George Barros is the Russia Team & Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead on the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War. George’s work focuses on open-source research and geospatial analysis of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Russian information operations, and Ukrainian politics. Prior to joining ISW, he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as an advisor on Ukraine and Russia for a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Read the transcript here.

Find ISW's Ukraine Conflict Updates here.

WTH: Jimmy Carter Was Our Worst Modern Ex-President. Steven Hayward Explains Jan 09, 2025

While many understand the failures of the late Jimmy Carter’s presidency, he is often referred to as our “best ex-president” because of his humanitarian and diplomatic efforts following his loss to President Reagan. However, the rose-colored glasses through which many Americans view his post-presidency ignore his disastrous meddling in foreign affairs and blatant antisemitism since leaving office. Despite his humanitarian efforts, Jimmy Carter was not the elder statesman his allies alleged him to be. Rather, Carter’s true legacy is that of someone who wished to remain president without the constitutional fetters of the office, undermining his successors of both parties.

Steven Hayward is the Edward L. Gaylord Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University and a senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute. He was previously a resident scholar at UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies and the F.K. Weyerhaeuser Fellow in Law and Economics at the American Enterprise Institute. Dr. Hayward is the author of The Real Jimmy Carter: How Our Worst Ex-President Undermines American Foreign Policy, Coddles Dictators and Created the Party of Clinton and Kerry (Regnery 2004).

Read the transcript here.

WTH Extra! Who Gets Ukraine’s $26 Trillion In Gas and Minerals? Dany and Marc Discuss Dec 23, 2024

In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Does Trump want Putin to get Ukraine’s $26 trillion in gas and minerals? Ukraine is a mineral superpower, with some of the largest reserves of 117 of the 120 most widely used minerals in the world. And with the help of U.S. assistance, Ukraine has successfully defended roughly 80 percent of its known mineral deposits. If the U.S. continues to help Ukraine secure and develop its natural minerals, we can not only deal a strategic blow to Beijing and Moscow, but also bring enormous financial benefits back to the American people.

Read Marc's article in the Washington Post here.

Read the transcript here.

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WTH Do Americans Not Trust Experts? AEI President Robert Doar Explains Dec 19, 2024

Americans have lost faith in the expert class, and in some cases, for good reason. So-called “experts” didn’t just destroy livelihoods during the COVID pandemic or make China rich through normalized trade relations, they also looked down upon and antagonized the American people in the process. What role will experts play in the second Trump administration? And how can the expert class begin to regain the trust of the American people?

Robert Doar is the president of the American Enterprise Institute. While at AEI, Mr. Doar has served as a co-chair of the National Commission on Hunger and as a lead member of the AEI-Brookings Working Group on Poverty and Opportunity. He first joined AEI in 2014 to lead the Institute’s opportunity and mobility studies program after serving for more than 20 years in leadership positions in the social service programs of New York State and New York City. He is the host of the podcast One on One with Robert Doar.

Read the transcript here.

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WTH is Going On In Syria? The New Lines Institute’s Hassan Hassan Explains Dec 10, 2024

In roughly ten days, opposition forces in Syria were able to accomplish more than they did in a decade and topple the tyrannical Assad regime. But as the dust settles, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham – the U.S. designated terrorist organization that led the march to Damascus – will have to prove that it has moved on from its anti-Western Jihadist ideology and is committed to rebuilding a Syrian state that meets the needs of its people. Why did Assad’s regime collapse so quickly? And what does the future of Syrian governance look like?

Hassan Hassan is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of New Lines Magazine, an initiative of the New Lines Institute, and the founder of the institute’s Human Security Unit. Previously, he was a Senior Fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University and the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestseller ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror (2016, Reagan Arts).

Read the transcript here.

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WTH: Biden Pardons Hunter! Professor Jonathan Turley Explains Dec 06, 2024

After repeatedly pledging to the American people that he would not pardon his son Hunter, Joe Biden gave his son one of the most sweeping pardons in presidential history. The presidential pardon power has a long history of abuse, but never before has a pardon been so broad, over such a long period of time, and issued by someone possibly implicated in the case. Why did Biden choose to pardon his son now? And what does the pardon mean for the future of political lawfare?

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. At GWU, he is also the Director of the Environmental Law Advocacy Center, and Executive Director of the Project for Older Prisoners. Professor Turley has served as counsel in some of the most notable cases in the last two decades including the representation of whistleblowers, military personnel, judges, and members of Congress, and has testified before Congress over 100 times. His latest book is The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage (Simon and Schuster, 2024).

Read the transcript here.

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Find The Indispensable Right here.

WTH Extra! Martial Law in South Korea? Zack Cooper Explains Dec 05, 2024

Late Tuesday night South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, accusing the opposition party of “legislative dictatorship” and vowing to eradicate “pro-North Korean anti-state forces.” Almost as suddenly as martial law was declared, the legislature voted unanimously for it to end – sending the very military forces that attempted to lock down the National Assembly packing. What do Yoon’s actions mean for the future of South Korean politics? How might a collapse of South Korea’s conservative party affect U.S.-Korean relations? And what are the broader implications for American allies and partners in Asia?

Zack Cooper is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies US strategy in Asia, including alliance dynamics and U.S.-China competition. He also teaches at Princeton University and serves as chair of the board of the Open Technology Fund. Zack previously served as the assistant to the deputy national security adviser for combating terrorism at the National Security Council and as a special assistant to the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy at the Department of Defense. His upcoming book is Tides of Fortune: The Rise and Decline of Great Militaries (Yale University Press, 2025).

Read the transcript here.

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WTH is Going On With the World’s Looming Depopulation Crisis? Nicholas Eberstadt Explains Nov 27, 2024

For the first time since the Black Death in the 1300s, the world is heading towards an era of depopulation. And for the first time in human history, this era of depopulation will be by choice. All over the world, women are choosing to have fewer and fewer children even as medical advances continue to prolong life. The result will be that people born today will live in graying societies in which the elderly and retired vastly outnumber the young and employed who are critical in supporting older generations. Why are people around the world choosing to have fewer children? And what do graying societies mean for the global economy?

Nicholas Eberstadt is the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute where he researched demographics, economic development, and international security in the Korean peninsula and Asia. He is also a senior advisor to the National Bureau of Asian Research, a founding board member of the US Committee on Human Rights in North Korea, and has served as a consultant or adviser to the US Government and international organizations. His most recent book is the Post-Pandemic Edition of Men Without Work (Templeton, 2022).

Read the transcript here.

Read Eberstadt's Foreign Affairs article here.

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WTH is Trump Trying to Recess Appoint Cabinet Members? John Yoo Explains Nov 21, 2024

Many of President-elect Donald Trump’s announced cabinet nominees are well respected and will likely have an easy path to Senate approval. Others, not so much. So Trump has proposed doing something no president has ever done before: Skirting the Senate approval process altogether via recess appointments. This appointment scheme delegitimizes Trump’s cabinet picks, sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations, and is likely unconstitutional.

John Yoo is the Emanuel Heller Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Stanford University. Yoo was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the general council of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. His most recent book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court (Regnery, 2023) with Robert Delahunty.

Read the transcript here.

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WTH Should Democrats Learn from Trump's Victory? Ruy Teixeira Explains Nov 14, 2024

President Donald Trump made gains among nearly every single demographic group in his historic victory, particularly with Hispanic and young voters. As the Democratic Party asks itself how it lost to Trump – a man they cast as a dictatorial threat to Democracy itself – it will have to look inward and realize it has moved from being the “party of the kitchen table” to the “party of the faculty lounge.” Working middle-class voters don’t identify with a party that spends more time criticizing anyone who disagrees with them as bigoted than working to make peoples’ lives better. Will Democratic leaders learn from their mistakes and move to the center on cultural issues? Or will the Democrats continue to pander to their progressive base?

Ruy Teixeira is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and the future of American electoral politics. Before joining AEI, he was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Teixeira is co-founder of the Liberal Patriot Substack and co-author of the books The Emerging Democratic Majority (Scribner, 2002) and Where Have All the Democrats Gone? The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes (Henry Holt & Company, 2023).

Read the transcript here.

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WTH Extra! Trump Wins! Dany and Marc Discuss Nov 07, 2024

For the first time since 1892, a former president has regained the office he lost. President. In a landslide victory, Donald Trump won an extremely diverse coalition worried about the state of America’s economy and southern border. The Democratic Party, meanwhile, lost ignominiously and will have some soul-searching to do in the wake of failed identity politics and attempts to cast Trump and his supporters as a threat to American ideals. Who are the voters that drove Trump to victory? How might Trump’s second term differ from his first? And what can American leaders on both sides do right now to unite the country?

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WTH: Does Trump Support Legal Immigration? Ramesh Ponnuru and Michael Strain Debate Oct 31, 2024

President Donald Trump has routinely said he supports immigration, as long as it’s legal, including when Marc interviewed the former president for the Washington Post. Then in the pages of National Review, Marc’s AEI colleagues Michael Strain and Ramesh Ponnuru debated the extent to which Trump supported legal immigration during his presidency and now on the campaign trail. So, we are bringing Strain and Ponnuru onto the pod to debate the extent of Trump’s support for legal immigration, and how he might and should address immigration reform in a potential second term.

Ramesh Ponnuru is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies politics and public policy with a particular focus on the future of conservatism. Concurrently, he is the editor of National Review, where he has covered national politics and public policy for 25 years, and a columnist for the Washington Post.

Michael Strain is the director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute. He is also the Professor of Practice at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, a research fellow with the IZA Institute of Labor Economics, a research affiliate with the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a member of the Aspen Economic Strategy Group. Dr. Strain also writes as a columnist for Project Syndicate.

Read the transcript here.

Read Marc’s interview with President Trump in the Washington Post here.

Read Michael Strain’s article in the National Review here.

Read Ramesh Ponnuru’s article in the National Review here.

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WTH Extra! Israel Strikes Iran! Frederick W. Kagan Explains Oct 29, 2024

On this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc speak to Fred Kagan about Israel’s strike against Iran over the weekend, retaliating against Iran’s unprovoked October 1 missile barrage against the Jewish state. Israel’s strike, involving over 100 aircraft, effectively took out Iranian air defense systems and decimated Iran’s missile production capabilities. However, either because of Israel’s strategic calculation or pressure from President Biden, Israel chose not to target Iran’s nuclear or oil production. Did Israel effectively put a halt to the tit-for-tat escalation with Iran? Or did it miss an opportunity to prevent a much more dangerous Iran down the road?

Frederick W. Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He is the author of the 2007 report Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq, which is one of the intellectual architects of the successful “surge” strategy in Iraq, and the book Lessons for a Long War (AEI Press, 2010). His Critical Threats Project, alongside the Institute for the Study of War, releases regular updates on Iranian activity in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and transnational terrorism on the African continent.

Read the transcript here.

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WTH: 60 Years Since “A Time for Choosing” and the Future of Reaganism. Peter Schweizer Explains Oct 24, 2024

On October 27, 1964, Ronald Reagan launched his political career with his “Time for Choosing” speech, a moment so famous it simply became known as “The Speech.” Ushering in a new era of conservatism, future President Reagan argued that Americans were at a pivotal moment and had a choice to make: Did they want a massive welfare state or lower taxes, government, and greater capitalist innovation? To stand up to the enemies of freedom and American ideals or let Communism spread across the world? To let the government be run by elites or run by the people? On the sixtieth anniversary of this speech, one thing is clear: Reagan’s principles are timeless, and as relevant now as they were sixty years ago.

Peter Schweizer is an investigative journalist and author of five New York Times bestselling books. Peter is also the founder and president of the Government Accountability Institute, host of The Drill Down podcast, and was previously a consultant to the Office of Presidential Speechwriting in the White House for President George W. Bush. He is the author of Reagan's War: The Epic Story of His Forty-Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism (Knopf 2003).

Read the transcript here.

Watch Reagan’s Time for Choosing speech here.

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Find Peter's podcast here.

WTH Live! The Future Of The Israel-Iran War. Elliott Abrams, David Deptula, and Eyal Hulata Explain Oct 17, 2024

After a year of fighting between Israel, Iranian proxies, and now Iran itself, it’s still unclear how this war will end. Hezbollah and Hamas are militarily devastated. The Iranian regime has never looked weaker. But the Israel-Hamas war is also nowhere close to being settled, Israel is only now beginning its operations in southern Lebanon, and the world is still awaiting Israeli retaliation for Iran’s October 1 missile attack. In this episode of WTH Live! Elliott Abrams, David Deptula, and Eyal Hulata join Dany at AEI to discuss what the future of Israel’s de facto war with Iran should and will look like.

Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He previously served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in the administration of Donald Trump.

Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula (Ret.) serves as the Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Gen. Deptula was the principal attack planner for the Operation Desert Storm air campaign, commander of no-fly-zone operations over Iraq in the late 1990s, director of the air campaign over Afghanistan in 2001, and has served on two congressional commissions charged with outlining America’s future defense posture. Gen. Deptula retired from the Air Force in 2010 after more than 34 years of distinguished service.

Eyal Hulata is a senior international fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Eyal previously served as Israel’s national security advisor and head of Israel’s National Security Council (NSC). During his tenure, Eyal coordinated the national effort on Iran, coordinated the maritime border agreement with Lebanon, and co-headed the Strategic Consultation Group with his American counterpart, Jake Sullivan.

Read the transcript here.

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WTH Live! Are Chinese Companies in the U.S. Trojan Horses for the CCP? Reps. John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi Explain Oct 10, 2024

Chinese companies control 80% of the shipping cranes in U.S. ports. And the People’s Republic of China is now the largest foreign investor in U.S. shale gas. And Chinese companies operating in the U.S. are regularly caught stealing American intellectual property, personal data, and even genomic data. Why should we care? Because Chinese companies are legally beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, and have given the CCP the opportunity to cripple critical American infrastructure in the event of any confrontation between the U.S. and China. In this episode of WTH Live! the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party outline the threat certain Chinese companies operating in the U.S. pose to national security, and how to combat it.

Congressman John R. Moolenaar represents Michigan's Second Congressional District and serves as the Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. Rep. Moolenaar also serves as Michigan’s senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and as the Co-Chair for the School Choice Caucus. Prior to joining the House, Rep. Moolenaar served in the Michigan State Senate and Michigan House of Representatives.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi represents Illinois’s Eighth Congressional District and serves as the Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, making him the first South Asian American in history to lead a Congressional Committee. He also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Read the transcript here.

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WTH Extra! One Year Since October 7, It’s Not Just A War On Israel. Dany and Marc Discuss Oct 07, 2024

One year ago today, Hamas perpetrated the worst massacre of Jewish people in a single day since the Holocaust. In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s article in the WTH Substack, WTH 10/7: It's not just a war on Israel. In the year that followed October 7, 2023, Jews have been the subjects of antisemitic attacks around the world. Iran and its proxies have opened up a seven front war on the Jewish state. And Western leaders have routinely failed to address the problems exposed after October 7, at home and abroad. The time for action was yesterday. But it is never too late to speak out against hate and reject tribalism at home, and the time is now to stop Iran and support American allies abroad.

Read Dany’s article in the WTH Substack here.

WTH: Gen. Frank McKenzie Explains the Importance of American Strength in the Middle East Oct 03, 2024

General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie was the Commander of United States Central Command when the U.S. took out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. What can we learn from Gen. McKenzie’s time as CENTCOM Commander? It’s simple: America’s enemies respect our strength. And when we fail to punish bad actors, stand by our allies, or uphold our commitments, our enemies – from Iran to Russia to China – are emboldened. In our conversation with Gen. McKenzie, we discuss his new book, lessons from his service under multiple administrations, and the decision making leading up to America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.

General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie the former Commander of United States Central Command. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the University of South Florida’s Global National Security Institute, the Executive Director of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity, and as a Distinguished Senior Fellow on National Security at the Middle East Institute. He is the author of The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century (Naval Institute Press, 2024).

Read the transcript here.

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WTH Extra! Dany Meets The President of Iran! Marc and Dany Discuss Sep 30, 2024

In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s article in the WTH Substack, #WTH Meet the President of Iran. Amid the Israeli campaign against Hezbollah leadership, munitions, and anything a Hezbolahi has ever touched, Dany went to New York to meet with the president of Hezbollah’s financier and personal trainer, Iran. Sitting in a room with an odd group of Iranian regime fanboys and some serious people, Dany noticed something interesting: The claims coming from Iran’s president sound an awful lot like what we often hear on college campuses, read in major American news outlets, and see pushed by Western Middle East “experts.” What has happened to the world that Iran can play the victim and not be laughed off the stage? You know the answer to that.

Read Dany’s piece in What the Hell is Going On? here.

Bonus: Learn more about secondary explosions in Lebanon here.

WTH Extra! Trump Disavowed Project 2025. But Harris Still Owns Her Project 2019. Dany and Marc Discuss Sep 26, 2024

In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s column in the Washington Post, Trump disavowed Project 2025. But Harris still owns her Project 2019. Donald Trump has regularly disavowed the Heritage Foundation’s wish list of proposals in its Project 2025, but Kamala Harris has failed to properly explain her shifts away from the far-left policies she campaigned on in 2019 – call it her “Project 2019.” Voters deserve to know why Harris has changed her policy positions so dramatically, and which of her 2019 positions she is actually abandoning.

Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.

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WTH is Going On with Exploding Pagers in Lebanon? Marc Polymeropoulos Explains Sep 23, 2024

With one page, Israel was able to take thousands of Hezbollah operatives off the battlefield. When Hezbollah feared its modern communications network had been compromised, the Lebanese terrorist organization decided to dole out old-school pagers and two-way radios, hoping they would be more secure. In an operation more reminiscent of James Bond than reality, Israeli intelligence managed to infiltrate Hezbollah’s supply line and implant explosives throughout Hezbollah’s new “secure” communications network. The result? A crippled adversary, boosted Israeli morale, and all with historically low civilian casualties.

Marc Polymeropoulos is a nonresident senior fellow in the Forward Defense practice of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Polymeropoulos worked for twenty-six years at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) before retiring in July 2019 at the Senior Intelligence Service level. He was one of the CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers. He is the author of Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA (HarperCollins, 2021).

Read the transcript here.

WTH is Happening With Campus Protests This Fall? FIRE’s Greg Lukianoff on the Threats to Free Speech Sep 19, 2024

Free speech is under attack on America’s college campuses. 2023 was already set to be the worst year for de-platforming – speakers being canceled or shut down because of their views – even before October 7 unleashed waves of antisemitic protests that worked to silence anyone attempting to support the Jewish state. Absent serious reform that protects all voices in our academic institutions, this school year will blow last year out of the water. What can schools do to protect free speech on campus? How are students taking matters into their own hands by rejecting self-censorship? And what are the best and worst schools for freedom of speech?

Greg Lukianoff is an attorney, New York Times best-selling author, and the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). He is a regular author on free speech issues and was executive producer of the documentaries Can We Take a Joke? (2015) and Mighty Ira: A Civil Liberties Story (2020). Lukianoff earned his undergraduate degree from American University and his law degree from Stanford.

Read the transcript here.

Read FIRE’s 2025 College Free Speech Rankings here.

WTH is Going On With the Election After the Debate? Josh Kraushaar Explains Sep 16, 2024

More thoughts on that debate, and we cover the fascinating question of the Jewish vote, which traditionally leans heavily Democratic. Following a year of Biden administration equivocation over antisemitic, anti-Zionist, and anti-American protests, Jewish voters in swing states may swing the election in Trump’s favor – if he can focus on policy over cat-related conspiracy theories. How is the debate fallout impacting the election? Will Harris be able to maintain the Democratic Party’s Jewish contingency? And how are fringe voices shifting the messaging of both parties?

Josh Kraushaar is the editor-in-chief of Jewish Insider and a political analyst for Fox News Radio. He was previously a senior political correspondent at Axios, editor-in-chief of the Hotline, and a co-author at the Almanac of American Politics.

Read the transcript here.

WTH Extra! About That Debate… Dany and Marc Explain Sep 11, 2024

In this episode of WTH Extra! Dany and Marc discuss the disaster that was the first and likely only debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris came into the debate well prepped, articulate, and managed to dodge the few attempts to make her explain her flip-flopping on a litany of far-left policies. Trump, meanwhile, succumbed to his worst temptations, failing to take advantage of opportunities to knock Harris’s record. Worst of all, the moderators showed a clear and unabashed bias for Harris all night long.

WTH Is Going To Happen in November? Karl Rove Explains Sep 05, 2024

Summer is over and the election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is right around the corner, with early voting starting this month in some states. Today, the election is in effect a tossup with highly possible paths to victory for both candidates. But this election is either’s to lose, with Trump struggling to stay on message and Harris unwilling or unable to speak alone and off script with the American people. What are Harris and Trump’s chances come November? Will the GOP keep the House and re-take Senate? What would a Harris administration mean for America?

Karl Rove is a Wall Street Journal columnist and a Fox News contributor. He is the former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush and is known as “The Architect” of President Bush’s 2000 and 2004 campaigns. Rove is the author of The Triumph of William McKinley (Simon & Schuster, 2016) and Courage and Consequence (Threshold Editions, 2010).

Read the transcript here.

WTH: Ukraine Takes the War to Putin. General Jack Keane Explains Ukraine’s Strategy and Path to Victory Aug 29, 2024

Ukraine’s cross-border counterattack into Kursk Oblast, Russia, flipped the script on those who thought Ukrainians were losing in a stalemated war. Not only is the operation a brilliant tactical move, forcing the Russians to move troops to defend their own territory, but the invasion of Kursk also gives Ukraine leverage in any future negotiations. However the war is not won yet, and it is now up to the Biden administration to finally put an end to disastrous policies and restrictions on Ukraine that have only prolonged the fighting.

General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general and the former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army. He is also the Chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, a Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst, and a member of the Secretary of Defense Policy Board. General Keane has previously advised four Defense Secretaries and was a member of the 2018 and 2022 Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy.

Read the transcript here.

WTH Is Going On at the DNC? Fox News’s Jessica Tarlov Explains Aug 22, 2024

The Democratic National Convention is full steam ahead in Chicago as the Democrats enthusiastically rally around their new nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris. However, amidst celebrity performances and impassioned speeches by former presidents, it can be easy to forget that Harris’s approval rating trailed even Biden’s dismal record up until recently. Moreover, Harris’s sole policy speech of her candidacy baffled even those in her own party. Will Harris be forced to define her policy platform before November? Or will she continue to climb in polls by running off of “vibes and joy”?

Jessica Tarlov joined FOX News Channel as a contributor in 2017 and serves as a rotating co-host of The Five. She also offers political analysis across FNC and FOX Business Network’s programming. In addition to her role on FNC, Tarlov serves as the Vice President of Research and Consumer Insight for Bustle Digital Group. Previously, she served as a senior strategist with Schoen Consulting and worked as a Democratic pollster.

Find the transcript here.

WTH Extra! Why Do Voters Hate the Biden-Harris Economy? Dany and Marc Explain Aug 20, 2024

In today’s WTH Extra! episode, Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s latest Washington Post column, Two data points explain why voters hate the Biden-Harris economy. Kamala Harris’s previous attempts to defend Bidenomics have bombed with voters, and for good reason. During the Biden-Harris administration, Americans’ household savings have plummeted while personal debt levels have skyrocketed to the highest levels ever recorded. Yet instead of learning from her mistakes, Harris’s recent economic proposals double down on the policies that unleashed the very inflation Americans are struggling with today.

Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.

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WTH Should I Read This Summer ... LIVE! “Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization” by Brad Wilcox. Aug 15, 2024

Closing out What the Hell’s summer book series, Brad Wilcox discusses his book Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization (Broadside Books, 2024) in front of a live audience of the very people on whom Wilcox hopes to impress his message: College students. Today, Americans are getting married and starting families older and older, if at all. But America’s youth might be surprised to learn that not only are married people more likely to be more financially stable and successful in their careers than their unmarried peers, but they are generally happier and feel more fulfilled as well. The data is there, we should all Get Married.

Brad Wilcox is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he directs The Home Economics Project. Wilcox is also a Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia, where he directs the National Marriage Project, and is a senior fellow at the Institute for Family Studies. He is the author of Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization (Broadside Books, 2024).

Find Get Married here.

Find the transcript here.

WTH Should I Read This Summer? “The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction” By Meghan Cox Gurdon Aug 08, 2024

In this episode of What the Hell’s summer book series, the WSJ’s Meghan Cox Gurdon discusses the wonders of audiobooks, reading aloud, and her book The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction (Harper, 2019). The idea of the “talking book” has been with us for almost a century, so why do so many consider audiobooks or books read aloud to us to be cheating? Not only does reading aloud to children and adults bring people closer together, but hearing a book out loud makes it come to life in a special way for the listener. Reading aloud also has incredible benefits for young children and audiobooks have allowed literature to become more accessible to us all.

Meghan Cox Gurdon is a weekly columnist for the books pages of The Wall Street Journal, covering children’s literature as well as a range of titles for adults. A former foreign correspondent and a magna cum laude graduate of Bowdoin College, Meghan has five children with her husband, the English journalist Hugo Gurdon. She is the author of The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction (Harper 2019).

Find The Enchanted Hour here.

Find the transcript here.

WTH Should I Read This Summer? “Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier” By Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey Aug 01, 2024

Kicking off What the Hell’s summer book series, Arthur Brooks discusses his new bestseller with Oprah Winfrey, Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier (Portfolio, 2023). While happiness is traditionally seen as a field studied by philosophers and religious leaders, Brooks uses science and data to answer the question, WTH can I do to become happier? America is facing a happiness crisis. And while this may not come as a surprise, by prioritizing real relationships over social media, giving of yourself to others over selfishness, and acknowledging that you must take control of your life over waiting for the world to change for you, anyone can become a happier person.

Arthur Brooks is a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. He was previously the president of the American Enterprise Institute for ten years, where he held the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Free Enterprise. He is the author of thirteen books and writes the popular How to Build a Life column at The Atlantic.

Find Build the Life You Want here.

Find the transcript here.

WTH Extra! Why Did No One Challenge Harris? Dany and Marc Explain Jul 29, 2024

In today’s WTH Extra! episode, Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s latest Washington Post column, Harris is a gaffe-prone leftist. Why didn’t anyone challenge her?Vice President Kamala Harris is sure to be at the top of the Democratic ticket come November. But Democrats may end up with buyers’ remorse as voters get to know her over the course of the next hundred days. Harris was the most liberal senator during her time in Congress and is prone to public slip-ups, yet does not have the excuse of age. When the honeymoon phase is over, Democrats might wish they had had a real primary after all.

Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.

Subscribe to our substack here.

WTH: Biden Out. Harris In. Ruy Teixeira Explains. Jul 25, 2024

President Biden's sudden withdrawal from the 2024 election may have come as a surprise, but his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party's coalescing around the VP to be at the top of their ticket is not. The party of identity politics is now taking a huge gamble with an untested and unpopular likely nominee for president. Not only has Harris been less popular than Biden throughout his presidency, but she's entering the general election with a dismal electoral track record and will be forced to defend the current administration's unpopular policies. How will candidate Harris perform against Trump on the national stage? And how might a President Harris continue or change Biden's policy agenda?

Ruy Teixeira is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and the future of American electoral politics. Before joining AEI, he was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Teixeira is co-author of the books The Emerging Democratic Majority (Scribner, 2002) and Where Have All the Democrats Gone? The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes (Henry Holt & Company, 2023).

Read the transcript here.

WTH: How Will the Trump Assassination Attempt Impact the Election? Brit Hume Explains Jul 16, 2024

Following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump’s life in Pennsylvania, the former president is moving full steam ahead with his campaign as the Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee. Trump started the convention Monday off with a bang, announcing his VP choice, Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) – a controversial decision that promises handwringing around the globe. Meanwhile, the Biden campaign continues to flounder, struggling to reset post-debate disaster, with Democrats still speaking privately about a forced exit strategy for the ailing incumbent. How might Vance help or hurt Trump’s chances in November? And how are both parties shifting their tones following the tragic events of the weekend?

Brit Hume currently serves as a chief political analyst for FOX News Channel (FNC). He acts as a regular panelist on FOX's weekly public affairs program, FOX News Sunday, and contributes to all major political coverage. Before joining FOX News, Hume was with ABC News for 23 years and served as ABC’s chief White House correspondent.

Read the transcript here.

WTH Extra! How Can Trump Make NATO Great Again? Dany and Marc Discuss Jul 11, 2024

In today’s WTH Extra! episode, Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s latest Washington Post column, How Trump Can Make NATO Great Again. While in office, President Trump pushed allies to meet their NATO commitments, leaving the alliance militarily stronger than it had been since the Cold War. But with a myriad of new threats facing the West, NATO is in an urgent need of a MAGA makeover that builds on the accomplishments of Trump’s first term.

Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.

Subscribe to our substack here.

WTH: The WSJ’s Annie Linskey Explains Her Reporting on Biden’s Cognitive Decline Jul 09, 2024

On June 4, Wall Street Journal reporters Annie Linskey and Siobhan Hughes broke the groundbreaking story Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs of Slipping. In response, Democrats and the media alike called it a “hit piece” against Biden designed to get Trump re-elected. But when Biden appeared on stage against Trump in their first presidential debate, America saw a frail and elderly president who before had only existed behind closed doors. Will Biden be the Democratic nominee for president? And how did the media help cover up Biden’s now obvious cognitive decline?

Annie Linskey is a White House reporter for The Wall Street Journal. Before joining the Journal, she worked for the Washington Post as a White House reporter and was the lead reporter on Democrats for the Boston Globe's Washington bureau during the 2016 campaign. She also reported on the Obama White House for Bloomberg News and BusinessWeek.

Read the transcript here.

WTH is Going On With Presidential Immunity? Andy McCarthy Explains Jul 04, 2024

In a spate of end-of-term decisions, the Supreme Court released its decision on the question of presidential immunity, ruling that the president has broad protections from criminal prosecution for “official acts,” a presumption of immunity for likely official acts, and zero immunity for private acts. Does this now mean that the U.S. now has a “king” as head of state, someone above the law, as many have implied? Can the president really release Seal Team 6 to kill political rivals without consequence? The answer is simple: No. Rather, the Court continued the job of rebalancing our Republic in favor of three branches, with Congress as the clear venue for trying any president for high crimes and misdemeanors. What does the ruling mean for Trump’s pending trials? And how is criticism of the Court eroding it as an American institution?

Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at the National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and the author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency. Previously, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Read the transcript here.

WTH Extra! Joe Won’t Go. Dany and Marc Discuss Jul 02, 2024

In today’s WTH Extra! episode, Dany and Marc discuss Dany’s recent substack, Joe Won’t Go. Will President Biden take the advice of panicked liberal pundits, politicians, and advisors and drop off the top of the Democratic ticket? Long story short: No. And notwithstanding the flurry of unwanted advice the White House is receiving, it really is up to the President. You see, Joe likes being President, and so do the rest of the Bidens.

Read Dany’s substack here.

WTH: MAGA Isolationism Is A Myth! The Reagan Institute’s Roger Zakheim Explains Jun 27, 2024

The numbers are in, and it’s clear that Americans of all political stripes – Democrats, independents, and both MAGA and non-MAGA Republicans – want America to be engaged and leading on the world stage. The Reagan Institute’s new summer survey shows that the vast majority of Americans want a strong military; support defending NATO allies; and continue to support Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel. But hidden in the crosstabs is an important finding: The myth of MAGA isolationism and Republican support for Russia is just that, a myth. Self-identified “MAGA Republicans” were more internationalist than “non-MAGA Republicans” on every issue and the number of Democrats and Republicans who want Russia to win over Ukraine is a statistical tie.

Roger Zakheim serves as the Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. He previously practiced law at Covington & Burling LLP where he led the firm’s Public Policy and Government Affairs practice group. Before joining Covington he was General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee where he managed the passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act. He was also the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.

Read the transcript here.

Find the Reagan Institute's summer survey here.

WTH Extra! Is Trump an Isolationist? Dany and Marc Discuss Jun 25, 2024

In this new WTH Extra! series, Dany and Marc discuss Marc’s recent Washington Post column, Biden’s Latest Attack on Trump is Wildly Inaccurate. Is Trump really the isolationist his detractors make him out to be? Or is he the second coming of Charles Lindbergh some of his supporters hope for? Turns out, the isolationists who claim to represent the MAGA agenda might not be so representative after all.

Read Marc’s column in the Washington Post here.

Subscribe to our substack here.

#WTH Russia Eyes Georgia Next. David Kramer Explains Jun 20, 2024

Georgia’s parliament in Tbilisi recently overrode a presidential veto on a “foreign agents” law that sparked an uproar domestically and from the country’s Western allies. Critics decried the legislation—which requires any organization receiving more than 20% of its funding from foreign sources to register as an “agent of foreign influence”—as yet another element in the Russian takeover of the small South Caucasian nation. Russia still occupies 20% of Georgia’s territory. Why should Americans care about Russian games in a country of 3 million people? Because for Vladimir Putin, Georgia is just the beginning of his ambitions in Europe. And the Georgian people are among the most pro-American in the region, at one point the second largest troop contributor to our war on al Qaeda. Standing up for Georgia now means avoiding conflict later.

David Kramer serves as the Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute. Prior to joining the Bush Institute, he taught at Florida International University’s Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, and served as an Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs. David chairs the board of the Free Russia Foundation and serves on the board of the International Republican Institute.

Read the transcript here.

WTH is Going On With the Hostage Rescue and Political Turmoil in Israel? Haviv Rettig Gur Explains Jun 13, 2024

This past weekend, Israeli special forces rescued four hostages Hamas kidnapped on October 7 and held in Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp. Israelis were ecstatic about the news. Meanwhile, Israel’s usual detractors in the West accused Israel of war crimes for harming “civilians” during the operation, apparently forgetting that Hamas chose to embed hostages within Gaza’s civilian population. What does the hostage rescue mean for the prospects of saving the remaining 120 hostages? Will turmoil and resignations at the senior levels of Israel’s national security government derail efforts to destroy Hamas? What does the future hold for this war amid growing threats from Hezbollah in Lebanon?

Haviv Rettig Gur is The Times of Israel’s senior analyst. Before joining the Times of Israel, he was a reporter for the Jerusalem Post. Haviv has reported from over 20 countries and served as director of communications for the Jewish Agency for Israel, Israel’s largest NGO. He lectures on Israeli politics, the US-Israel relationship, the peace process, modern Jewish history and identity, and Israel-diaspora relations. Haviv lives in Jerusalem with his wife and two sons.

Read the transcript here.

WTH: 34 Felonies? Professor Jonathan Turley Explains the Trump Convictions Jun 06, 2024

Last week, Donald Trump became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a felony after a New York State court found him guilty on 34 counts of concealing hush money payments to “influence the 2016 election." Despite the precedent-breaking nature of the case, the stench of politics was strong: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg campaigned on the promise he would prosecute Trump, used novel legal theories to conjure a felony charge against the former president, and prosecuted a federal crime in a state court. Nor was Bragg alone: Judge Merchan not only allowed Bragg’s charges, but ruled with Bragg on every tough decision, and handed out jury instructions that all but guaranteed a conviction. Will Trump’s conviction get overturned on appeal? What does this conviction mean for Americans’ trust in our judicial system?

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. At GWU, he is also the Director of the Environmental Law Advocacy Center, and Executive Director of the Project for Older Prisoners. Professor Turley has served as counsel in some of the most notable cases in the last two decades including the representation of whistleblowers, military personnel, judges, and members of Congress, and has testified before Congress over 100 times. His upcoming book is The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage (Simon and Schuster, 2024).

Read the transcript here.

Order The Indispensable Right here.

WTH Live: Reps. Mike Lawler & Ritchie Torres Explain How Congress is Fighting Antisemitism on Campus May 30, 2024

Following a year of record-high antisemitic attacks and incidents on college campuses, students, professors, and administrators need to be held to account. But fighting hate speech in academia while upholding freedom of speech is a tricky line to balance. That’s why Reps. Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) are introducing the COLUMBIA Act – which would empower the Department of Education to appoint independent antisemitism monitors on campuses of concern – and were pioneers of the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which codifies the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. We talk about the role Civil Rights Act Title VI protections play for institutions receiving federal funding and get into how foreign actors are helping spread antisemitism in the US.

Representative Mike Lawler represents New York’s 17th Congressional District. Prior to serving in the House of Representatives, Rep. Lawler represented New York’s 97th District in the State Assembly. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Representative Ritchie Torres represents NY-15 in Congress. He is a member of the Committee on Financial Services and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Before joining Congress, Rep. Torres served on New York City’s City Council.

Read the transcript here.

WTH is the International Criminal Court Prosecuting Netanyahu and Threatening Congress? Senator Tom Cotton Explains May 23, 2024

This week, International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan, K.C., announced on CNN that he will seek arrest warrants for Israel’s democratically elected Prime Minister and Defense Minister, as well as three members of Hamas leadership because of “crimes against humanity” related to October 7 and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war. Israel is not a party to the Rome Statute that underpins the ICC, which therefore has no legal jurisdiction in Israel. The ICC has admitted a “State of Palestine,” which theoretically grants jurisdiction over actions in “Palestine” and over Hamas figures. How should Washington respond to the ICC’s extrajudicial investigation? And how will the ICC’s announcement affect its global standing?

Tom Cotton is a United States Senator from Arkansas. Senator Cotton’s committees include the Judiciary Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism, the Intelligence Committee, and the Armed Services Committee, where he serves as the Ranking Member of the Air Land Power Subcommittee. Before joining the Senate, Senator Cotton was a member of the House of Representatives and served on active duty in the United States Army as an Infantry Officer.

Read the transcript here.

Sign up for the Substack here.

WTH is Going On With The Corruption of Climate Science? Roger Pielke Jr. Explains May 16, 2024

President Biden is pushing through climate regulations at record speed as his administration, activists, and international organizations warn of an impending climate disaster absent drastic policy changes. But as the US pauses exports of liquefied natural gas and attempts to spend over a trillion dollars on climate initiatives, few stop to ask the question, “Is the world really headed towards climate apocalypse?” In short, no. Climate science relies on scenarios, of which there are thousands. However, billionaires, policymakers, and climate forums have ensured that the most extreme, outdated, and implausible scenario is now the global “baseline.” What do climate scientists actually think of RCP 8.5? And how can US policy better reflect the realities of climate change?

Roger Pielke Jr. is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on science and technology policy, the politicization of science, and energy and climate. He is concurrently a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder; a distinguished fellow at the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan; a research associate of Risk Frontiers (Sydney, Australia); and an honorary professor of University College London. Dr. Pielke is a regular contributor for and oversees the popular substack The Honest Broker.

Read the transcript here.

WTH is Going On With Trump’s Trials? John Yoo Explains May 09, 2024

Former president Donald Trump is on trial in New York over hush money payments made before the 2016 election. The only problem? Hush money payments as part of non-disclosure agreements are not illegal. New York state prosecutor Alvin Bragg alleges that by improperly filing the payments in Trump’s business records he was trying to conceal “another crime” – campaign finance law violations. Here’s the problem: Bragg not only lacks authority to prosecute campaign finance violations, but even the Biden administration’s Justice Department did not pursue campaign finance violation charges against Trump. Is Bragg’s case against Trump constitutional? And how will such politically motivated cases eat away at America’s rule of law?

John Yoo is the Emanuel Heller Professor of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and a Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution and Stanford University. Yoo was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, the general council of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. His most recent book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court (Regnery, 2023) with Robert Delahunty.

Read the transcript here.

WTH is Antisemitism Exploding on College Campuses? Hillel International’s Adam Lehman Explains May 02, 2024

Self-proclaimed “anti-Israel” and “anti-war” protests have gripped college campuses ever since Hamas’ brutal terrorist attack killed, injured, and took hostage thousands of Israeli civilians on October 7. However, in recent weeks, protesters have begun taking siege to universities across the country, setting up 77 “encampments” on quads, vandalizing property, barricading themselves in buildings, and physically and verbally assaulting Jewish students who dare to pass by them. The response from many college administrators and faculty has been timid, when not directly supportive of protesters that have turned violently antisemitic. Where does this antisemitism come from? And what can we do to stamp out the pervasive Jew-hatred plaguing our universities?

Adam Lehman is the President and CEO of Hillel International, the largest Jewish student organization in the world. Adam started his career at Skadden, Arps, and spent two decades as an executive and entrepreneur, including as a Senior Vice President at AOL. He was a Harry S. Truman Scholar at Dartmouth College and is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

Read the transcript here.

WTH Live! Our 250th Episode with Amy Walter and Matthew Continetti on the Biden-Trump Rematch—Live Before a Studio Audience! Apr 25, 2024

President Joe Biden is one of the least popular presidents in the history of presidential polling. Former President Donald Trump faces 91 charges across four criminal cases. Despite their woes and the overwhelming desire of the American people to vote “none of the above,” President Biden and former President Trump will still face off for the second time this November. How will these two senior citizens make the sale? What will most likely hurt them on November 4? Does a third-party candidate have a real shot at the presidency?

Amy Walter is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Amy is also a contributor to the PBS NewsHour, a regular Sunday panelist on NBC’s Meet the Press, and appears frequently on CNN and Fox News. Previously, Amy was the political director of ABC News and an inaugural fellow at the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago.

Matthew Continetti is the director of Domestic Policy Studies and the inaugural Patrick and Charlene Neal Chair in American Prosperity at the American Enterprise Institute. His work has a particular focus on the development of the Republican Party in the 20th century. Matt was also the founding editor and the editor-in-chief of the Washington Free Beacon.

Read the transcript here.

WTH is Iran Attacking Israel? Fred Kagan Explains Apr 16, 2024

Last weekend, for the first time since the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979, Iran launched a direct attack on Israel from Iranian territory. In total, some 170 drones, 120 surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, and more than 30 cruise missiles targeted Israel, with most coming from Iran, and some from Iranian proxies in Iraq and Yemen. In response to what was a well-advertised attack, Israel, the United States, Great Britain, France, and Jordan (among other Arab countries) deployed from land, sea, and air with jets, missile defense, and a guided missile cruiser among a sophisticated array of defensive assets. As a result, a reported seven missiles landed mostly harmlessly in Israel, with injuries restricted to shrapnel injuring a young Bedouin girl. Israeli and American leaders were quick to celebrate Iran’s failed attack and the “restoration of deterrence.” But are the Israelis correct in celebrating Iran’s inability to cause real damage? Or are they ignoring the very real risk that seven Iranian missiles actually hit the State of Israel? What will Iran learn from this exercise? And how did their attack reflect the lessons Russia is learning on Iranian equipment in Ukraine?

Frederick W. Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He is the author of the 2007 report Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success in Iraq, which is one of the intellectual architects of the successful “surge” strategy in Iraq, and the book Lessons for a Long War (AEI Press, 2010). His Critical Threats Project, alongside the Institute for the Study of War, releases regular updates on Iranian activity in the Middle East, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and transnational terrorism on the African continent.

Download the transcript here.

Find the Critical Threats Project's Iran Updates here.

WTH Can’t Democrats Quit Trump? The WSJ’s Barton Swaim Explains Apr 11, 2024

Joe Biden and the Democratic Party love labeling Donald Trump and his MAGA followers as the greatest threat to American democracy. So why are Democratic-aligned Super PACs funding self-declared MAGA candidates in GOP primaries? In a recent article for the Wall Street Journal, Barton Swaim explains that there are two reasons: The strategy has (so far) helped Democrats win in general elections; more importantly, Democrats long for a time when they were part of the heroic resistance against Trump. But this strategy could backfire: Democratic lawfare against Trump is helping him win over voters who think “the system” is rigged against them. And the moment a Democrat-funded MAGA candidate wins a general election, their warnings about MAGA’s threat to democracy will fall flat on its face.

Barton Swaim joined the Wall Street Journal as an editorial page writer in 2018. He writes a regular column on political books. Before joining the Journal, he was an opinion editor at the Weekly Standard. He is the author of The Speechwriter: A Brief Education in Politics (Simon and Schuster, 2016).

Read the transcript here.

Read Barton's article Why Democrats Can’t Quit Trump here.

WTH Is Going On With Biden and Israel? Dan Senor Explains Apr 04, 2024

In the wake of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, Joe Biden stood by America’s closest Middle Eastern partner, providing diplomatic cover and military aid. Recently, however, the Biden administration has become increasingly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli operations in Gaza. In March, Biden refused to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire without conditioning it on the release of Israeli hostages or acknowledging the atrocities of October 7. Why the sudden shift in tone from the Biden administration? Will the growing rift between Biden and Netanyahu affect Israel’s war aims in Gaza? And how will Biden’s failure to stand by Israel affect American partnerships in the region?

Dan Senor is the host of the podcast Call Me Back and co-author of New York Times bestselling books The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation and Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle. He is a former Defense Department official, was a senior advisor to former Speaker Paul Ryan’s campaign for vice president, and was a foreign policy advisor to Senator Mitt Romney’s presidential campaigns. Dan was educated at the University of Western Ontario, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Harvard Business School. He is currently a partner at Elliott Investment Management.

Read the transcript here.

Find Dan Senor's podcast here.

WTH Do Americans Think the Economy is Terrible? Gary Cohn on Bidenomics Mar 28, 2024

According to President Biden, his stewardship of the economy – which he has dubbed “Bidenomics” – should be praised as the best America has ever seen. Unemployment is down and jobs are up. So why exactly are Americans giving such poor ratings to Bidenomics? Perhaps it’s because Biden’s $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package unleashed the worst inflation in 40 years. And while inflation may be lower today than it was three years ago, its compounding effects mean that prices are still sky-high. On top of that, Americans recently hit a record high of over a trillion dollars in credit card debt. In short, it doesn’t take a PhD to understand that Americans are hurting.

Gary D. Cohn is the Vice Chairman of IBM and served as chief economic advisor and the 11th Director of the National Economic Council to President Donald Trump. Before serving in the White House, Mr. Cohn was President and Chief Operating Officer of Goldman Sachs, a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, and Chairman of the Firmwide Client and Business Standards Committee. Mr. Cohn began his career at U.S. Steel before moving to New York to trade on the New York Commodities Exchange.

Read the transcript here.

WTH Did We Do to Our Kids? Nat Malkus On The Consequences of Pandemic School Closures Four Years After COVID Mar 21, 2024

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, students, parents, and teachers were told they have to stay home from school in order to stop the spread of disease. Anyone who questioned that advice was labeled a conspiracy theorist who does not "trust the science." Now, the public is waking up to the real effects of “long COVID” -- the longer students stayed away from school, the more they are choosing to stay home today, with all the learning and social loss that implies. Who suffers the most? Minorities and the poor. Who cares? Not the teachers' unions or the government that caused this disaster.

Nat Malkus is a senior fellow and the deputy director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he specializes in empirical research on K–12 schooling. He is a national expert on a range of educational issues that affect students across the country—including Career and Technical Education, school choice, Advanced Placement, standardized testing, and how the nation’s schools responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download the transcript here.

Read the WTH substack here.

WTH is Going On at Harvard? Larry Summers Explains Mar 14, 2024

Following the terrorist attacks of October 7th, Harvard University was among several elite bastions of higher education to show its true colors – moral relativism, raw antisemitism on campus, and poor leadership. Harvard, like other elite institutions, has and will continue to suffer reputational damage for its response. And indeed, the rot of higher ed is deep. It is not that a liberal bias has metastasized into illiberalism, but rather that illiberalism has been layered on top of a creeping and extreme form of leftism. What is going on in our country’s top universities? Who is to blame? How do we solve it?

Lawrence H. Summers was Chief Economist of the World Bank (1991-93), US Secretary of the Treasury (1999-2001), Director of the US National Economic Council (2009-10), and President of Harvard University (2001-06).

Download the transcript here.

Read the WTH Substack here.

WTH Are Americans Thinking About November? Mark Penn Explains His Newest Data Mar 07, 2024

Super Tuesday wrapped up as predicted, with Trump sweeping the GOP win and Haley dropping out. Barring a meteorite, this means we are locked into a Trump-Biden rematch. But the newest Harvard-Harris CAPS poll reveals an America that is not as certain as primary voting behavior suggests – overwhelmingly, they profess a desire for a non-Biden non-Trump choice at the polls. For voters, immigration has become a national priority, even in states (Alaska) that are nowhere close to the southern border. Meanwhile, inflation, which affects everyone, has moved farther down in voters’ anxieties. And then there’s the large majority of voters who are comfortable marking on a poll that they believe Trump is a felon or that Biden is incompetent, but then vote for them anyway. This week, we try to get some clarity about these puzzling contradictions.

Mark Penn is the chairman of the Harris Poll, as well as leading research companies including the National Research Group, Harris Insights & Analytics and HarrisX. He is the co-founder of the Harvard-Harris Poll, a monthly poll on key public opinion topics crucial to Americans like taxes and healthcare. He's also the president and managing partner of the Stagwell Group, a private equity fund. He previously held senior executive roles with Microsoft, WPP, and senior strategic roles on electoral campaigns for President Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Download the transcript here.

Read the WTH substack here.

Check out Mark Penn's poll here.

WTH is Going On with Seizing Russian Assets? Stephen Rademaker Explains Feb 29, 2024

Two years ago, at the start of the war in Ukraine, $300 billion in Russian assets were frozen in Western banks. The assumption behind Western economic pressure on Russia was that sanctions and seizures of oligarchs’ funds would have a chilling effect on both Russia’s economy and the pursuit of the war in Ukraine. They have not. As a result, for only the second time in history, the United States is considering seizing Russian assets. Congress, in the lead, has brought the Biden administration around. The President needs new authorities to move forward. But seizing the frozen $300 billion – only $5 billion of which is in the United States – and re-distributing it to Ukraine for reconstruction and other reparation efforts is fraught. Will the Euros go along? Will this radical change affect how states approach seizing aggressors’ assets? Perhaps more importantly, is the Biden administration’s signal of approval for the policy just talk, or will Washington finally pull together measures that hit Russia where it hurts?

Stephen Rademaker, currently Senior of Counsel at Covington and Burling LLP, has wide-ranging experience working on national security issues in the White House, the State Department, and the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Serving as an Assistant Secretary of State from 2002 through 2006, he headed at various times three bureaus of the State Department, including the Bureau of Arms Control and the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation. Previously, he served as General Counsel of the Peace Corps, Associate Counsel to the President in the Office of White House Counsel, and as Deputy Legal Adviser to the National Security Council.

Download the transcript here.

Read the WTH Substack here.

WTH is Happening Two Years into the War in Ukraine? Yaroslav Trofimov Explains Feb 23, 2024

Since Russia invaded Ukraine exactly two years ago, Yaroslav Trofimov has been covering the war on the ground. His newest book, Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence, is a stunning account of the lead-up to the war and how Ukraine has consistently upended the conventional wisdom about its prospects for victory. But in recent weeks, the Ukrainians have faltered, with support from the United States hung up in a divided Congress. What is the lesson of history? That our enemies will vanish – as long as America is resolute.

Yaroslav Trofimov is the chief foreign affairs correspondent of The Wall Street Journal. He has covered the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and has been working out of Ukraine since January 2022. He joined the Journal in 1999 and previously served as Rome, Middle East and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as Dubai-based columnist on the greater Middle East. He is the author of three books, Our Enemies Will Vanish (2024), Faith at War (2005) and Siege of Mecca (2007).

Download the transcript here.

Read the WTH Substack here.

Check out Yaro's new book here.

WTH: Natan Sharansky on the Murder of Alexei Navalny Feb 21, 2024

Alexei Navalny was allowed one book in his Siberian prison. He chose Fear No Evil by former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, who joins us for an important conversation today to speak about his correspondence with Navalny and his own experience in a Siberian forced labor camp. Why did Navalny return to Moscow, and to certain arrest? What were his aims? What is it like to be held in what Sharansky refers to as his “alma mater” -- solitary confinement? And given Navalny’s murder, has Putin’s regime etched another notch in its belt, or is it still doomed to fail, as Sharansky predicted long ago? We talk Putin, Hamas, liberalism and neo-Marxism with one of the greats.

Natan Sharansky is a former Soviet refusnik, an Israeli politician, author and human rights activist. In 1978, Sharansky was convicted of treason and spying on behalf of the United States, and was sentenced to thirteen years imprisonment in a Siberian forced labor camp. Sharansky served as Minister of Industry and Trade from June 1996-1999. He served as Minister of the Interior from July 1999 until his resignation in July 2000 and as Minister of Housing and Construction and Deputy Prime Minister from March 2001 until February 2003. In February 2003, Natan Sharansky was appointed Minister without Portfolio, responsible for Jerusalem, social and Diaspora affairs. In November 2006 Natan Sharansky resigned from the Knesset and assumed the position of Chairman of the then newly-established Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies of the Shalem Center in Jerusalem. In June 2009, he was elected and sworn in as Chairman of The Jewish Agency for Israel, a post he still holds. Natan Sharansky is the author of four books: Fear No Evil (1988), The Case for Democracy (2004), Defending Identity (2008), and Never Alone: Prison, Politics, and My People (2020).

Download the transcript here.

Read the WTH Substack here.

Read Navalny's letters to Sharansky here.

WTH is Going On with Biden’s Mental Fitness, the 14th Amendment, and the Border Bill Debacle? Andy McCarthy Explains All Feb 15, 2024

The Department of Justice released a report that Joe Biden willfully retained classified documents – but can’t be tried because - long story short - he is non compos mentis. The Dems are outraged. Is it justified? On the other side of the aisle, Trump is facing 14th Amendment charges to keep him off the ballot. Is that legal? And finally, the House is mired in debates ongoing about passing a border bill. What was wrong with the Senate bill? As usual, there is a lot going on this week – but we have the guest to help us understand it all.

Andrew C. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Wrong with UNRWA? Jonathan Schanzer Explains Feb 08, 2024

Media outlets have just begun to report on the rot of the United Nations Relief Works Agency – but the issue goes much farther back than October 7th, and the consequences will extend long past today. The top lines are that the Western-funded UN agency taught antisemitic propaganda in Palestinian territories for years; funded Hamas endeavors leading up to and including October 7; and has actually perpetuated the victimhood of Palestinians. To address the future of Israel-Palestine, one thing is clear: external “aid” cannot be funding and teaching extremism and terrorism.

P.S.: For more UNRWA background, listen to our episode on the topic with Brett Schaefer.

Dr. Jonathan Schanzer is the senior vice president for research at FDD. He previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he followed and froze the funding of Hamas and Al-Qaeda. Jonathan has held previous think tank research positions at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Middle East Forum. He has written hundreds of articles on the Middle East and U.S. national security. His most recent book is Gaza Conflict 2021: Hamas, Israel and Eleven Days of War (FDD Press 2021).

Download the transcript here.

Check out the WTH substack here.

Read Jonathan Schanzer's testimony here.

WTH is No Labels’ Plan For 2024? No Labels Co-Chairman Governor Pat McCrory Explains Feb 01, 2024

America seems to be on a locked path towards a Trump-Biden rematch in 2024. But is this what people want? The polls say no. And is this really our only option? No Labels, the organization looking at presenting a third-party candidate, agrees. Decried (mostly by Democrats, for now) as a spoiler, No Labels leadership believes that for the first time, a third party candidate has a shot at winning the election. And what is their path to victory? Winning unconventional states, making a common sense case to Americans, and broadening the election. All will be revealed, maybe, by Super Tuesday.

Pat McCrory is the national co-chair of No Labels. He served as the 74th governor of North Carolina from 2013 – 2017, and the 53rd mayor of Charlotte before that. While serving as mayor of Charlotte, McCrory served on the U.S. Homeland Security Advisory Council from 2002 to 2006 under President George W. Bush.

Download the transcript here.

Read the WTH Substack here.

WTH Happened in New Hampshire… and WTH Happens Next? With Josh Kraushaar Jan 25, 2024

Trump won the New Hampshire primaries, but Nikki Haley is staying in the race. We had a lot of questions for our guest on what this might mean for the next few weeks of primary voting, what this might mean for a potential third party candidate down the line, and yes, what this might mean for a Biden-Trump rematch. But there are some known quantities, too. Team Biden can't imagine anything better than to challenge Trump -- he might be the one Republican they can beat. And vice versa for Team Trump… Joe Biden is their ideal opponent.

Josh Kraushaar is the editor-in-chief of Jewish Insider, and is a political analyst for Fox News Radio.

Download the transcript here.

Subscribe to the WTH substack here.

WTH Happened in Iowa...and WTH Happens Next? Sean Trende Explains Jan 18, 2024

The 2024 Iowa caucuses have come and gone, with the key takeaways some freezing temperatures, low turnout, and a Trump slam dunk. 15 percent of eligible Iowans gave 51% of the vote to the former president. Of course, that also means that about half voted for somebody other than Trump. Most disappointed was Nikki Haley, who surprised us all with a lagging third place, while Ron DeSantis pulled ahead to second. So, is the 2024 GOP nomination a done deal for Trump? Maybe. But the year has just begun, and some more challenging ground is ahead for the Donald and his would-be replacements.

Sean Trende is a nonresident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he works on elections, American political trends, voting patterns, and demographics. He is also the senior elections analyst for RealClearPolitics. Before becoming a full-time political analyst, Mr. Trende practiced law for eight years, during which time he represented clients before a variety of settings ranging from state trial courts to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Download the transcript here.

Subscribe to the WTH substack here.

Read Marc's GOP vs. Biden analysis here.

WTH is Wrong with Gen Z? Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott Explain Jan 11, 2024

Generation Z is now entering the workforce, and free speech levels have never been so low in America. Coincidence? We think not. Legions of Gen Zers are bringing the totalitarian ideas they were spoon-fed in university — CRT, DEI, and other Neo-Marxist ideas — into the American mainstream. As a result, we are at a peak cancel culture moment. How did this happen, who is to blame, and most importantly, how do we close Pandora’s box? Our guests — authors of a new book on cancel culture — suggest we cannot, but we can move forward and begin to right some of these wrongs. It starts with raising kids who aren’t cancelers, keeping corporations out of the cult of cancellation, fixing K-12, and reforming higher education.

Greg Lukianoff is the president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and one of the country’s most passionate defenders of free expression. Together with Rikki Schlott, he is the author of The Canceling of the American Mind. He has written on free speech issues in the nation’s top newspapers, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, and was executive producer of the documentaries Can We Take a Joke? and Mighty Ira. Lukianoff earned his undergraduate degree from American University and his law degree from Stanford.

Rikki Schlott is a New York City-based journalist and political commentator. She is a research fellow at FIRE, host of the Lost Debate podcast, a columnist at the New York Post, and a regular contributor to numerous publications and television programs. Her commentary focuses on free speech, campus culture, civil liberties, and youth issues from a Generation Z perspective.

Download the transcript here.

Subscribe to the WTH substack here.

Check out Greg and Rikki's book here.

WTH Were the 10 Best and Worst Things Biden Did in 2023? Jan 04, 2024

2023 was not a year of shining achievements for the Biden administration. But along with the bad, there were achievements worth celebrating. So this year, Marc continues his tradition with the top ten best and worst things Biden did in 2023. Among the best relate to China – the replicator initiative, restrictions on Chinese advanced tech, and military aid for Taiwan – as well as his support for Israel and Ukraine. Among the worst were his slow rolling aid to Ukraine, softness on Iran, student loan forgiveness… and running for reelection.

Download the transcript here.

Read the 10 Worst here.

Read the 10 Best here.

Subscribe to the WTH substack here.

ICYMI: WTH is Going On with Kicking Trump Off the Ballot? John Yoo Explains Dec 28, 2023

Happy holidays from the WTH team. In case you missed it, we are re-upping one of our best pods of the year with John Yoo, to explain why kicking candidates off the ballot (looking at you, Colorado) is undemocratic...

Is it correct that election officials can disqualify Trump based on the 14th Amendment? Was it really necessary or strategic to begin impeachment proceedings against Biden now? Is our Republic unraveling? This is precisely why Marc and Dany called on Biden to pardon Trump. This is why Abraham Lincoln said that a compass that points true north is only useful if one also knows the terrain we traverse.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Happens After the Israel-Hamas War? Elliott Abrams Explains Dec 21, 2023

Nearly three months into the Israel-Hamas war, we’re back with Elliott Abrams for an update on what the hell is going on, and more importantly, where to go from here. The military objectives – what Israel must do in order to secure its people – are one level, but as the conflict continues, there are deeper issues that will take time and clarity to address. How do we deradicalize both the Palestinian population in support of Hamas? What about Hezbollah? Iran? And how can we help Israeli security when we are struggling Hamas supporters here at home? Why is the United States so loath to defend itself in the Red Sea? And why are there hundreds – hundreds—of Biden administration employees virtue-signaling their personal disagreement with the policy of the President of the United States?

Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, DC. He served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in the administration of Donald Trump.

Download the transcript here.

Check out Elliott Abrams' recent piece here.

Subscribe to the WTH substack here.

WTH Have All the Democrats Gone? With Ruy Teixeira Dec 14, 2023

In 2002, Ruy Teixeira co-authored The Emerging Democratic Majority. Now, two decades later, his new book is out – Where Have All the Democrats Gone? So what happened to the Democratic Party in those intervening years? A couple of major factors stand out. First, the Democrats have bled working-class voters – once the party’s base. This means that your average Democrat today is not a UAW union worker, but probably a middle to upper-class post-grad student at Harvard. Or Colombia. Or U Penn. Second, the party’s mission has been captured by extreme versions of wokeism, making progressivism synonymous with total agreement with the far Left. And while the Dems’ recent winning streak is attributable to the specific alchemy of special and off-year elections – in 2024, it will be a much bigger challenge to see how coastal elites and college grads sustain the party.

Ruy Teixeira is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and the future of American electoral politics. Before joining AEI, he was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress from 2003 to 2022. He coedits “The Liberal Patriot” blog. His new book is Where Have All the Democrats Gone? The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes (Henry Holt & Company).

Download the transcript here.

Check out Ruy Teixeira's new book here.

Check out the Liberal Patriot Substack here.

Subscribe to the WTH substack here.

WTH is Ukraine Aid’s Best-Kept Secret? Most of The Money Stays in the U.S. John Ferrari Explains Dec 07, 2023

The best-kept secret about aid to Ukraine? 90% of the money the US allocates for military aid is spent here at home. The money goes right to American defense companies that employ American workers to produce the weapons systems that Ukraine is using to fight Russia. Not only that: the money is revitalizing decayed production lines, bringing back institutional knowledge about weapons manufacturing to the fore, and pushing the American defense sector to innovate and modernize old weapons systems. But this is all being done begrudgingly by the Pentagon and painfully slowly by the Biden admin, and with zero support from several loud voices in the GOP. At a time when the US is facing three major threat environments – Russia-Ukraine, Hamas-Israel, and a future China-Taiwan – why is Congress so confused about the need to rebuild America’s defenses? Why aren’t Congressmen pushing harder for more jobs in their own districts for their own constituents, instead of prioritizing their own isolationist agenda? Bonus: read Marc’s piece in the Washington Post laying out the argument, and the data, for Ukraine aid benefiting the American worker.

John Ferrari is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where his work focuses on the defense budget, defense reform and acquisition, and the US military. Over his 32-year US Army career, Major General Ferrari, who is now retired, served as the director of program analysis and evaluation, the commanding general of the White Sands Missile Range, a deputy commander for programs at the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan, and a strategic planner for the Combined Joint Task Force Seven in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Major General Ferrari has also worked as a branch chief for contingency operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the US Department of Defense and as a program examiner at the Office of Management and Budget at the White House.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is the UN so anti-Israel and anti-American? Brett Schaefer Explains Nov 30, 2023

Why is the United Nations siding with Hamas in its war on Israel? An exaggeration? Nope. The examples are endless. The United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), devoted to the question of Palestinian refugees in name, but de facto a front for Hamas; leadership on the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council from China and Iran, setting the anti-Israel agenda; UN employees teaching antisemitic propaganda, promoting Hamas on their personal social media accounts, and blocking condemnation of terrorism. What’s more, all this is paid for, in large part, by the American taxpayer. It’s time to reform the United Nations, or, absent the necessary changes, to cut off their cash.

Brett D. Schaefer is the Jay Kingham Senior Research Fellow in International Regulatory Affairs at Heritage’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. From 2019 to 2021, Schaefer was appointed by the U.N. General Assembly to serve on the Committee on Contributions, which advises the General Assembly on the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations among member states. He worked at the Pentagon as an assistant for International Criminal Court policy from March 2003 to March 2004.

Download the transcript here.

Read Dany's National Review piece here.

Subscribe to the WTH substack here.

WTH: Tik Tok, Osama bin Laden, and Hamas. Rep. Mike Gallagher Explains Nov 22, 2023

Since the events of October 7, the Chinese Communist Party has been spreading virulent antisemitic memes in the U.S. via its favorite information warfare tool: Tik Tok. We have had episodes on Tik Tok before, but the urgency of this issue has reached a fever pitch, culminating with the celebration of Osama bin Laden’s “Letter to America” on the app last week. Tik Tok is pervasive – around a third of young adults use it for news – and it is incredibly effective. It is not just the propaganda that is convincing young Americans to hate America and ally themselves with bin Laden, Iran, and antisemites everywhere. And it is not even the losses on Xi Jinping’s “smokeless battlefield.” It is the question of the easy control of young American hearts and minds – which apparently march to the TikTok algorithm’s orders – and the consequent control the Chinese Communist Party has over American opinions and American politics. Bonus: There are also transgenic mice.

Congressman Mike Gallagher has represented Wisconsin’s 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017. In the 118th Congress, Representative Gallagher serves as Chairman of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, as Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation, and on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Do Antisemitism and Critical Race Theory Have in Common? Professor David Bernstein Explains Nov 16, 2023

What do Critical Race Theory and antisemitism have in common? A lot, actually, from the roots of each movement, to the ideology, to the way they are weaponized by the left today. The overarching philosophy linking these movements together is a Manichean ordering of peoples into groups of oppressed or oppressor – usually, but not always, based on the color of one’s skin. Indeed, it is no mistake that in the aftermath of WWII, Jews sought to categorize themselves as white, a move that has now fed the bizarre oppressor/colonizer trope so popular on the left. First Jews weren’t white enough for the white supremacists, but now are too white for the CRT crowd. Not to mention the shifting ideological assaults on Jewish groups, once accused of being communists now accused of being capitalists. Yes, donors are pulling out of universities that harbor pro-terrorist groups; yes, the support of Hamas the past few weeks has been a PR disaster for wokeism. But it will take a lot more than that to root out the antisemitic and real race-based discrimination that has gripped America.

David E. Bernstein holds a University Professorship chair at the Antonin Scalia Law School, where he has been teaching since 1995. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of Michigan, Georgetown University, William & Mary, Brooklyn Law School, the University of Turin, and Hebrew University. Professor Bernstein teaches Constitutional Law, Evidence, and Products Liability. His most recent book is Classified, The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Iran Up To in Israel and Gaza? Ken Pollack Explains Nov 09, 2023

It is unclear whether Iran chose the exact date and time of the Hamas attacks, but the detail is irrelevant. The Islamic Republic of Iran has funded, coordinated, trained, and armed Hamas and other proxies for years. Should Israel not definitively succeed in eliminating Hamas, Iran will learn a critical lesson: its strategy works. What does Iran want from this war? Eventually, hegemonic control of the Middle East; in the meantime, derailing normalization between Israel and the Arab states, eliminating any moderate Palestinian political players, and total control of the revitalized Palestinian question in the region. Iran’s influence isn’t limited to its proxies in the Middle East either – it has an unprecedented strategic alliance with Russia and a growing partnership with the People’s Republic of China. So, why the international equivocation on Iran? Sanctions are needed, tightening the loopholes for Iranian financing of terrorist proxies is needed… Iran must pay a price for fomenting this war.

Kenneth M. Pollack is a senior fellow at AEI, where he works on Middle Eastern political-military affairs, focusing in particular on Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf countries. Before joining AEI, Dr. Pollack was affiliated with the Brookings Institution, where he was a senior fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy. Before that, he was the center’s director and director of research. Dr. Pollack served twice at the National Security Council, first as director for Near East and South Asian affairs and then as director for Persian Gulf affairs. He began his career as a Persian Gulf military analyst at the CIA, where he was the principal author of the CIA’s classified postmortem on Iraqi strategy and military operations during the Persian Gulf War.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Going On with the Explosion of Antisemitism on the Left? Ruth Wisse Explains Oct 31, 2023

There are Charlottesvilles happening every day in America. This time, they’re everywhere, driven by an explosion of antisemitism. And these Charlottesvilles are happening at Harvard, Columbia, and Stanford among other elite havens of academe. This is not the alt-right, fringe antisemitism of years past. The modern version has taken on the flavor of the leftist elite: it equates Zionism with racism; it coalesces the extreme aspects of BLM, feminism, and other groups against a common enemy; it is pro-nothing and entirely anti. The Nazi movement had its roots in professors, Nobel Prize winners – this too, is finding roots in elitist bodies who can intellectualize their way around the pernicious evil of the Hamas attacks. The only way to stand up to a culture of hate? Intolerance of it, and imposing consequences on those who profess it.

Ruth Wisse is the Martin Peretz Professor of Yiddish Literature and Comparative Literature Emerita at Harvard University. She immigrated to Canada from Romania in 1940 and is a preeminent scholar of Yiddish and American culture, literature, and politics. She is the author of several books, including her memoir Free as a Jew.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Wrong with Congress? Rep. Fitzpatrick Explains Oct 25, 2023

It has been over 20 days since the House of Representatives ousted, and then successively failed to re-elect, a speaker of the House. The dysfunction could not be coming at a worse time: war in Europe, war in the Middle East, rising danger in the Pacific. Budgets are not getting passed, much less additional aid packages for Ukraine and Israel. The House cannot even convene to condemn the Hamas terrorists – what the hell is wrong with our country? One infuriating piece of information from our podcast today: a large portion of representatives voting against aid to Ukraine are “voting no, hoping yes,” an indication that partisanship has truly eroded the very fabric and efficacy of government. America desperately needs intellectual consistency, good-faith politics, and honesty. How can we right this sinking ship?

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick represents Pennsylvania’s first district. In the 118th Congress, Congressman Fitzpatrick sits on the Ways and Means Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In addition, he co-chairs the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus and Congressional Ukraine Caucus, while also serving on the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force and NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Prior to serving Congress, he was an FBI Special Agent and a Federal Prosecutor.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Did Hamas Attack and How Will Israel Respond? Haviv Gur Explains Oct 18, 2023

The monstrosity of Hamas’ attack on Israel is hard to fathom. This podcast, with Times of Israel reporter Haviv Gur, shares some insight into developments on the ground in Israel, tragedies that Israelis are experiencing real-time, and analysis of the political, religious, and military aspects of the conflict.

He also gives us a glimpse into Israel’s calculus following the attack – what do Israelis think Palestinians are thinking? Where are the roots of Palestinian extremism, how do the majority Arab Israeli population view the behavior of their neighbors? How has the fundamental understanding of regional cooperation changed, and where are we beginning to have clarity on the real aspirations of Palestinian leaders and other Middle East actors in the fall-out?

These questions and more with Haviv Rettig Gur. Haviv is The Times of Israel's senior analyst. He has reported from over 20 countries and served as director of communications for the Jewish Agency for Israel, Israel’s largest NGO. He lectures on Israeli politics, the US-Israel relationship, the peace process, modern Jewish history and identity, and Israel-diaspora relations. Haviv lives in Jerusalem with his wife and two sons.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Aren’t We Holding Iran Responsible For The Attack on Israel? With Elliott Abrams Oct 11, 2023

On October 7th, Israel suffered the worst attack it has experienced in its history at the hands of the terrorist group Hamas. 900 casualties in Israel, including at least 11 American citizens – not to mention around 150 hostages taken by Hamas, most back to the Gaza Strip where they will be held as bargaining chips. The shocking adjectives being used are spot on: heinous, evil, unconscionable. And one lesson has emerged crystal-clear: weakness on Iran does not lead to moderation and bonhomie, it leads to bloodshed and paves the path for terror. Obama’s nuclear deals; Trump’s tougher but ultimately unsustainable approach; Biden’s inattention and subsequent $6 billion bribe to Iran – and people wonder why the Iranian regime thought that now might be a good time to push the envelope even further. What happens next will be decisive. We have watched Biden slow roll aid to Ukraine while Congress tears itself apart. We have watched successive administrations hope that pivoting to Asia will put the Middle East in the rear-view mirror. It won’t. When tyrants and terrorists are persuaded the US is weak, they act. The time has come to change their minds.

Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in Washington, DC. He served as deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, and as Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela in the administration of Donald Trump.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Congress Undermining Our National Defense? Mackenzie Eaglen Explains Oct 04, 2023

Congress narrowly averted a government shutdown last week when it passed a continuing resolution – a stop-gap spending bill that finances the government for a little over a month. What does this really mean? It means that we are spending at previous levels of government while important investment bills for the future are frozen, hamstringing the federal government in carrying out its number one job: to provide for the common defense. But the problem is bigger, and goes back further, than this week. Our Defense Department is underfunded and spending priorities are misaligned; multi-year appropriations are wildly out of touch with real inflation numbers; Congress treats weapons contractor behemoths like they are a de facto member of the bureaucracy. And the proverbial icing on the cake? The Pentagon is not only lagging in relation to prior output, it is lagging behind China. The investment in military and defense preparedness with our number one threat should never be inverse, but China is steadily investing, while the US is stagnating and slipping.

Mackenzie Eaglen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute where she works on defense strategy, defense budgets, and military readiness. She is a member of the board of advisers of the Alexander Hamilton Society, a member of the steering committee of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security, one of the 12-member US Army War College Board of Visitors, and a member of the Commission on the Future of the Navy.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Has Trust in American Institutions Collapsed? Gerry Baker Explains Sep 27, 2023

Gallup, Pew, and other reputable polling institutes have been lock-step in reporting the precipitous decline of American trust in the country’s institutions over the past few years. Every survey examining public faith in our institutions to do what is right, to provide for the common good, or to simply function at all has hit rock bottom. Surprising? Not really – these dropping percentage points coincide with upticks in intense partisanship, erosion in our political process, and culture wars. And this is not, as the media would portray it, solely an income inequality issue; social mobility and opportunity issues yes, but the biggest factor in this mistrust is the widening cultural gap between the new elites, and the rest of the US’ population. What can be done? It is imperative that students are educated in civics and history and maintain a respect for the institutions that are meant to provide for them. And most importantly, it is high time for real leaders to step up, recognize and fix these corrosive problems.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Going On with Kicking Trump Off the Ballot? John Yoo Explains the 14th Amendment, Biden Impeachment and More Sep 20, 2023

The projected Biden-Trump rematch is not merely depressing, it is causing policymakers on the left and the right to abandon good sense. The result? A double-whammy Biden impeachment and Trump constitutional crisis as the country heads into the election season. Is it correct that election officials can disqualify Trump based on the 14th Amendment? Was it really necessary or strategic to begin impeachment proceedings against Biden now? Is our Republic unraveling? This is precisely why Marc and Dany called on Biden to pardon Trump. This is why Abraham Lincoln said that a compass that points true north is only useful if one also knows the terrain we traverse.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Can Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Americans Agree On? A Lot, Say Alyssa Rosenberg and Marc Thiessen Sep 13, 2023

In a post-Dobbs political landscape, abortion policy has become the great divider. But disagreements over abortion cannot stifle much-needed conversations about what can be done to support American women, mothers, fathers, and children. To nobody’s surprise, WTH co-host Marc is a conservative. His colleague at the Washington Post Alyssa Rosenberg, is liberal. Together, they undertook the critical task that one might expect from our lawmakers, and put their differences aside to write a productive, respectful, and intelligent guideline for family policies that have been proposed by lawmakers, yet to be passed. They selected policies that did not require them to compromise on their respective positions on abortion, and those that have a serious chance of becoming law if the work is done by Congress. It is a model of good-faith hard work, and the kind that is rare among those who actually make policy – we commend you to read it here.

Alyssa Rosenberg writes about mass culture, parenting, and gender for The Washington Post's Opinions section. Before coming to The Post in 2014, Alyssa was the culture editor at ThinkProgress, the television columnist at Women and Hollywood, a columnist for the XX Factor at Slate and a correspondent for The Atlantic.com.

Marc Thiessen writes a column for The Post on foreign and domestic policy. He is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and the former chief speechwriter for President George W. Bush. He is a Fox News contributor.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is the Biden Administration Undermining The Ukrainian Counteroffensive? General Jack Keane Explains Sep 06, 2023

This summer, several articles aired in mainstream media outlets citing unnamed individuals from the Pentagon, and criticizing the speed and tactics of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. These critiques appear to at once reflect a poor understanding of the military goals and capabilities of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, and also bolster the growing anti-Ukraine, pro-isolationism cohort in America. The lack of humility is even more remarkable: the US has not fought a war against a protracted Russian offense like Ukraine’s, since General Patton and the Metz campaign, in 1944...in France. What’s more, no Western military would ever conduct a counteroffensive without air power or long-range artillery; but by slow-rolling and limiting aid, the Biden administration is expecting Ukraine to do just that. It is also worth noting that since the articles aired, Ukraine successfully punctured Russia’s first line of defense. Why are we not celebrating that, and ensuring a decisive win against our shared enemy, Putin?

General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst. General Keane is a member of the Secretary of Defense Policy Board and has advised four Defense Secretaries and is a member of the 2018 and 2022 Congressional Commission on the National Defense Strategy.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Should I Read This Summer? Best Things First by Bjorn Lomborg Aug 30, 2023

It may not come as a surprise that in much of the developed world, money spent is not necessarily money used well. We have done podcasts on the ideological and political dangers of bad development policy, but the dollar-to-donuts, real practical bent of the conversation is just as important. Because at the end of the day, the international community has come up with many (169) development objectives, most all of them unreachable (we have only met one). Instead of looking at the trajectory of UN sustainable development goals and bemoaning their overreach and underperformance, Bjorn Lomborg presents a realistic re-orientation of priorities. He has whittled the 169 UNSDGs down to 12 actionable steps the international community can take to challenge today’s problems. The goals are straightforward, cost-effective, and good faith – for anyone discouraged by the constant backsliding and bureaucratic stagnation of today, this is a refreshing step forward.

Bjorn Lomborg is the president of the think tank Copenhagen Consensus Center and the former director of the Danish government's Environmental Assessment Institute. He became internationally known for his best-selling book The Skeptical Environmentalist (2001). Bjorn is listed as one of Time’s 100 most influential people, and his most recent book is Best Things First: The 12 Most Efficient Solutions for the World’s Poorest and Our Global SDG Promises.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Should I Read This Summer? Spies: The Epic Intelligence War between East and West by Calder Walton Aug 23, 2023

Little known fact: the intelligence war between the East and the West started long before 1945. And not only that; it did not end with the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 90s either. Indeed, this silent conflict has been lurking in the background of virtually every major historical event since 1917. The intelligence wars of the past century have been defined by theft, driven by fear, and dictated by tyrants from Stalin then to Putin and Xi Jinping now. But today, the age of the traditional clandestine secret service is over, and open source is the coin of the realm. So are we prepared to compete with China and Russia on these new battlegrounds?

Calder Walton is an historian at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He received a doctorate in history from Trinity College, Cambridge, where he also helped to write MI5’s authorized hundred-year history. He is the general editor of the three-volume Cambridge History of Espionage and Intelligence. His previous book, Empire of Secrets, won the Longman-History Today Book of the Year award. His new book is Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West.

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WTH Should I Read This Summer? The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink by Will Inboden Aug 16, 2023

The What the Hell crew continues our summer reading series! Our next pick is The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink. The Peacemaker’s focus is Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy, adding to previous research with recently declassified national security documents. But just as importantly, the history presented reminds us why the challenges we face today – socialism rebranded, struggles for sovereignty in Ukraine and Taiwan – are not novel. In fact, it is pretty simple to guess where Reagan might have stood in 2023. Inboden underscores as well that, contrary to popular opinion, the fall of the Soviet Union under Reagan was never inevitable, but required a real US policy shift. It is worth the read (or, if you are like Marc, the audiobook listen) to remember the Cold War muscles the US built not too long ago, or even just to remember what decorum and strength in leadership looks like in government.

Bonus: Reagan’s legacy lives on at the Reagan Institute; listen to our podcast on their summer survey here.

William Inboden is the Professor and Director of the Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education at the University of Florida. He previously served as William Powers, Jr. Chair and Executive Director of the Clements Center for National Security, Associate Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and Distinguished Scholar at the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, all at the University of Texas-Austin. He also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Texas National Security Review. Inboden’s other current roles include Associate with the National Intelligence Council, member of the CIA Historical Advisory Panel, member of the State Department’s Historical Advisory Council, and Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum.

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WTH Should I Read This Summer? Chip War by Chris Miller Aug 09, 2023

This August, the What the Hell crew brings you a summer reading series! Our first pick is Chip War, a book the NYT hailed as a cross between Mission Impossible and the China Syndrome. Nominally, this is the story of the semiconductor industry, but it is really a forecast of modern grand strategy, great power conflict, and the security of the global economy. It is no mistake that the book’s author, Chris Miller, set out to write a book about military strategy – and then realized that military strategy today is defined by applying advanced chips to systems. Beyond just military however, advanced chips make the world as we know it work. They are in your iPhone, your dishwasher, your car… the list goes on. The clincher? Almost all of these highly technical chips are made in Taiwan – one of the most geopolitically tense areas in the world.

Chris Miller is an Associate Professor of International History at Tufts University and a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Fellow at AEI. He is also the co-director of the Fletcher School’s Russia and Eurasia program and the director of the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. In addition to Chip War, Miller’s books include We Shall Be Masters: Russian Pivots to Asia from Peter the Great to Putin (Harvard University Press, 2021), Putinomics: Power and Money in Resurgent Russia (University of North Carolina Press, 2018), and The Struggle to Save the Soviet Economy: Mikhail Gorbachev and the Collapse of the USSR (University of North Carolina Press, 2016). Chris is an alumnus of Harvard College and holds an MA and PhD from Yale.

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WTH Do Republicans Really Think About Foreign Policy? Roger Zakheim Explains Aug 02, 2023

With the incessant politicization of real foreign policy issues, sometimes it is helpful to go back to the numbers. And in this case, the numbers are detached from the reality that anti-Ukraine Republicans are trying to sell. In fact, a new summer survey from the Reagan Institute finds that a 76% supermajority of Americans, including 71% of Republicans, agree that it is important to the US that Ukraine wins the war. This is not the “Ukraine fatigue” story we have been told. Moreover, support for aid increases substantially when respondents are given more information – where aid to Ukraine is going, how Ukraine has performed on the field. Knowing this, why are our leaders failing to give the America First case for aid to Ukraine?

Roger Zakheim serves as the Washington Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute. He previously practiced law at Covington & Burling LLP where he led the firm’s Public Policy and Government Affairs practice group. Before joining Covington he was General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee where he managed the passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act. He was also the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense.

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WTH is Neocolonialist Environmentalism? Todd Moss Explains Jul 26, 2023

One of America's greatest engines of growth is fossil fuels – cheap, reliable energy that jumpstarted the industrial revolution and paved the way for the security and prosperity we enjoy today. Others will not be so lucky. Many African countries lack energy security and are reliant upon foreign aid and international organizations that impose environmentally correct conditions on assistance. Indeed, rather than affording African nations the same pathway to prosperity that Western countries used, the left has decided that ‘what is for me is no longer acceptable for thee’ and is pushing green energy on the African continent. Africans like clean energy as much as the next guy (Kenya has geothermal, Ethiopia has hydro) but others (Mozambique, Tanzania, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria…) are forced to rely on natural gas. But the future of Africa and engines of growth are uninteresting to climate crusaders, who embrace neocolonialist conditions for aid to Africa, all the while jetting about in private planes. Instead of forcing climate terms on critical Africa assistance programs, as John Kerry is intent upon doing, or degrading the efficacy of the Power Africa initiative, perhaps the US and Europe should focus on alleviating poverty, truthfully.

Todd Moss, formerly Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, is the Executive Director of the Energy for Growth Hub, a fellow at the Center for Global Development, and a nonresident scholar at Rice University’s Baker Institute and the Colorado School of Mines. He has a substack called Eat More Electrons.

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WTH Did Biden Blow It on NATO and Ukraine? Ambassador Kurt Volker Explains Jul 19, 2023

Last week at the NATO summit in Lithuania, the world watched as Ukraine was denied an actionable plan for membership in the alliance. It was almost a rinse and repeat from 2008, when Ukraine and Georgia pushed for membership, and were offered a similarly passive statement – save for one major exception: today, Ukraine is actively fighting for its life. In fact, Ukraine is doing NATO’s job for it: defending Europe, upholding sovereignty, and keeping Russia’s imperialist ambitions at bay. And, notwithstanding the ire of National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan – who has labeled Ukraine ungrateful -- nobody (much less Zelensky) is arguing for membership during a hot war. Ukrainians want a secure plan forward, not a vague and gauzy set of commitments that amount to “maybe.” A roadmap is not actually hard to formulate (Marc and former Deputy Secretary of State Steve Biegun wrote one for Washington Post) so what is the hold-up? Are we really going to let Putin bully 31 (soon to be 32) countries into icing out a staunch ally?

Ambassador Kurt Volker is the former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, the former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine. He's now a distinguished fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis and a founding partner of the American University in Kyiv.

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WTH Happened with the Russian Mutiny? Yaroslav Trofimov Unravels the Mystery Jul 12, 2023

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the private military company Wagner Group, staged a rebellion against Putin’s regime in Russia on June 24th. For a brief moment, the Wagner forces took over Rostov-on-Don, and came within 125 miles of Moscow before coming under heavy fire by the Russian military, and turning back. Putin struck a deal with Belarus president Lukashenko wherein Prigozhin was exiled to Belarus in exchange for amnesty. But who is Prigozhin? None other than Putin’s former caterer. If it sounds ludicrous, that’s because it is – and the media is still abuzz with theories as to what happened. Are there cracks in Putin’s regime? What were Prigozhin’s motives? Why the hell did Putin meet with Prigozhin a week after the purported coup attempt? Most troubling of all, US intelligence appears as perplexed as it was on day one.

Yaroslav Trofimov is the Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent of the Wall Street Journal. He covered the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and has been working out of Ukraine since January 2022. He previously served as Rome, Middle East, and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as a Dubai-based columnist on the greater Middle East. He is the author of two books: Faith at War (2005) and Siege of Mecca (2007).

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WTH is Going On with the Supreme Court? Jonathan Turley Explains Jul 05, 2023

The Supreme Court went out with a bang in 2023 – before heading off to recess, SCOTUS struck down affirmative action, ruled Biden’s loan forgiveness grab unconstitutional, and prioritized the First Amendment in a creative design case. Each of these cases (save for KBJ’s recusal on the affirmative action vote) was decided 6-3: the conservative majority versus the liberal bloc. Despite the ensuing media mayhem that accompanied the rulings, however, the cases are each staked squarely in the law – not political pandering. Indeed, politics aside, Biden lacked the authority under the HEROES Act to forgive billions in debt; the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause prevents quotas based on race in universities; the First Amendment prohibits forcibly asking an individual to provide services for a cause they are opposed to. Polls suggest that Americans are losing faith in the efficacy of the Courts, but likely only think so based on the political fervor that persuades us that these decisions were not made in good faith. So, we brought in a legal expert to explain just how these decisions are made.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. At GWU, he is also the Director of the Environmental Law Advocacy Center, and Executive Director for the Project for Older Prisoners. Professor Turley has served as counsel in some of the most notable cases in the last two decades including the representation of whistleblowers, military personnel, judges, members of Congress, and more. He publishes columns on jonathanturley.org.

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WTH is Going On with the Hunter Biden Whistleblower? Peter Schweizer Explains Jun 28, 2023

If you thought the Trump indictment capped the pattern of White House prosecutions, well, you’d be wrong (though see the WTH joint op-ed on how to end the prosecutorial death loop). Now, Hunter Biden has been indicted on misdemeanor charges of tax evasion – news that was decried as a “sweetheart deal.” But a former IRS investigator and FBI officials who came forward to Congress present a government cover-up, from the DOJ disallowing a 2018 investigation into Hunter Biden, to limitations on actually collecting information. And of course, this story has deep roots in 2009, when Joe Biden became Vice President of the United States. At that moment, Hunter set up his “international financial business.”The facts are muddled (no thanks to US institutions charged with un-muddling them) but there remain clear questions that must be answered: from whom did the Bidens receive money, and what was it for?

Peter Schweizer is the president of the Government Accountability Institute and senior editor at Breitbart News. He is the former William J. Casey Fellow at the Hoover Institution. His most recent book is Red Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win.

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WTH is the Left Waging War on Things That Work? Noah Rothman Explains Jun 21, 2023

The dictators of the nanny state are waging war on things that work. Daily appliances that make life manageable (your gas stoves, your AC, your lawn equipment) are increasingly under assault, with dubious climate/equity rationales. But the effects on climate are negligible, and the myriad electric substitutions don’t just have environmental costs of their own, many simply don’t work. So what is really going on? Instead of protecting the consumer as these bans claim to do, this new technocratic bullying is imposing a lifestyle brand – electric cars, electric stoves, heat pumps, etc. If you don’t like it… well, you *will* like it. The progressive Puritans will make sure of that.

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review, a former MSNBC commentator, and a former associate editor for Commentary Magazine. He is the author of The Rise of the New Puritans: Fighting Back Against Progressives' War on Fun.

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WTH is Going On with the Trump Indictment? John Yoo Weighs In Jun 14, 2023

When the Founders conceived the U.S. Constitution, they were under the assumption that the head of state in America would be guided by honor – that an impeachment would virtually never be necessary, that the shame of the prospect would force the accused to step down from office. That model of leadership with integrity is absent in today’s political climate. In former president Donald Trump’s second, and more serious indictment, he has been charged with 37 counts relating to his retention of classified documents. Yes, Hillary Clinton and Hunter Biden should also be prosecuted – but that does not exonerate Trump. But it is also true that we have never prosecuted Presidents before: not Clinton, not Nixon, not LBJ, not even Jefferson Davis. The DOJ is crossing a line - not a constitutional line, but a “bright line” of institutional practice, as our guest calls it, and that is enormously significant. Where did statesmanship go? Just where will this Trump indictment lead the nation?

John Yoo is a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and the former head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. He is the Emmanuel Heller Professor of Law at the University of California Berkeley School of Law. He is also a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution. His most recent book is Defender in Chief: Trump’s Fight for Presidential Power.

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WTH is the America First Case for Supporting Ukraine? Jun 07, 2023

Over the past 15 months, Ukrainians have surpassed expectations in their response to the Russian invasion, showing valor and resilience. But more than a year into the fighting, many of those who advocate for aid to Ukraine still do so as a matter of idealism. Voters should know that it is also in the United States’ vital national interests. President Biden, our commander-in-chief, has a responsibility to explain to the American people what is at stake in the war in Ukraine: the consequences of failure, the consequences of success, and America’s role. In this special episode of WTH, Dany interviews Marc on his important piece for the Washington Post, where he has collected the 10 strongest arguments for why helping Ukraine will make the United States safer, more prosperous, and more secure.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is the Republican Primary Forecast? Josh Kraushaar on the Growing Field May 31, 2023

Last week saw two more entrants into what is already a crowded Republican primary field: Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) are officially in the running. Polling suggests that DeSantis is the only real challenger to Donald Trump, but the party base can only hope that his glitchy Twitter announcement doesn’t belie a deeper weakness in the candidate’s campaign. Tim Scott, by contrast, has embraced a more traditional roll out and uplifting Reaganite rhetoric, but enjoys far less popularity right now. There is a fine line to toe in the Republican primaries – too few challengers may cede the field to Trump; but too many entrants could fracture the non-MAGA voting bloc into ineffective camps, also handing the primaries to Trump. Meanwhile, the Democrats are hedging their bets with a “known known” and sticking with Biden… so is a Trump-Biden rematch inevitable? If not, does the GOP have the political dexterity to capitalize on this unique election cycle and an increasingly diverse voter base?

Josh Kraushaar is the editor-in-chief of Jewish Insider. He is also a Senior Political correspondent at Axios, Fox correspondent, and host of the Against the Grain podcast. Previously, he was Editor in Chief of the Hotline, and a co-author at the Almanac of American Politics.

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WTH Happened with the Durham Report? Andy McCarthy on the FBI Failings May 24, 2023

After four years of work, the Durham Report the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation was released last week. And notwithstanding the objections of the New York Times and other partisans, the report was revelatory: the probable cause for opening the Russia collusion investigation was so flimsy that internal investigators had serious doubts and the Brits refused to even touch the case; the primary source for the famous Steele dossier was Igor Danchenko, previously suspected of working with Russian intelligence; the dossier itself was funded by none other than Hillary Clinton and the DNC. The case is convoluted and so over-saturated with petty politics that even legal experts have a hard time summarizing, but the most important takeaway remains crystal clear: the FBI acted negligently and with extreme political bias in their handling of what came to be called Crossfire Hurricane. How did we end up with institutions charged with fidelity to the law that Americans can no longer trust? Perhaps more importantly: how can we do better?

Andrew McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute, an NR contributing editor, and the author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency. He served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

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WTH is Going On with the Debt Limit Fight? Brian Riedl on our Fiscal Future May 17, 2023

It’s a tale as old as time… where will our next trillion come from to feed our hungry coffers? We jest, but only a little: Negotiations on raising the debt limit are ongoing, marking, ahem, dozens of times this has happened under both Democrats and Republicans. Neither party has been able to summon the wherewithal to sacrifice political clout for the good of the long-term economy. Take healthcare spending: Democrats promote top-down, regulatory spending, while Republicans support consumer-based choice and competition. Fine – but costs haven’t been fixed, efficiencies have not been produced, and Medicare has an $80 trillion shortfall over 30 years. Who do we think is going to bail us out? China and Japan hold a measly $2 trillion of our debt and they are selling it; the Fed holds just $5 trillion and they’re trying to downshift. Are we really going to rely on American banks and savers and mutual funds to lend Washington $100 trillion over the next 30 years at low interest rates? It is not even a possible scenario. Our guest predicts that we are on a path that ends in a 15% value-added tax and a payroll tax rising close to 22% – yes, exactly like Europe.

Brian Riedl is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, focusing on budget, tax, and economic policy. Previously, he worked for six years as chief economist to Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) and as staff director of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth. From 2001-2011 Riedl served as the Heritage Foundation’s lead research fellow on federal budget and spending policy. He also served as a director of budget and spending policy for Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign and was the lead architect of the ten-year deficit-reduction plan for Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

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WTH is Going On with Title 42? Andrew Selee on our Broken Immigration System May 10, 2023

This Thursday, the COVID-era immigration policy Title 42 will expire. Initiated by the Trump administration, it allowed for the expulsion of migrants at the border under a public health directive. It lifts as numbers of encounters at the border continue to skyrocket – instances grew from 646,822 in 2020 to 2,766 in 2022, and have already surpassed 1.544 million this year. These are staggering and historic numbers. Border Patrol cannot handle the sheer quantity, processing centers are overrun and inefficient, legitimate asylum seekers and migrants are being delayed access for years while the US government attempts to handle the illegal entries. Title 42 was not meant to be a sustained solution, but its expiration – without a replacement policy in place – means that this summer will see a humanitarian tragedy at the US southern border. Notably, polls show that the American public is not very divided on this question; by and large, Americans support and encourage legal immigration, and condemn the chaos – the humanitarian disaster, financial confusion, and resource misallocation – that is the result of loose and unserious border policy. And yet, Administration after Administration, Congress after Congress, drags its feet and leaves policy stopgaps to the courts.

Andrew Selee is the President of the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), a global nonpartisan institution that seeks to improve immigration and integration policies. He also chairs MPI Europe's Administrative Council. Prior to MPI, Dr. Selee spent 17 years at the Woodrow Wilson Center where he founded the Center’s Mexico Institute, and served as the Center’s VP for Programs and Executive VP. He has also worked on staff in the US Congress, served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA, and is a columnist for Mexico’s largest newspaper El Universal. His most recent book is Vanishing Frontiers: The Forces Driving Mexico and the United States Together.

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WTH is Going On with Law School Wokeness? Ilya Shapiro on the Dangers of DEI for the Rule Of Law May 03, 2023

Not only is DEI hiring creating bureaucracy bloat in higher education country-wide, it is beginning to fundamentally alter our institutions. One place where the erosion of excellence is already apparent? Our legal institutions – just last year, 12 Federal Judges boycotted hiring clerks from Yale Law School (some of the crème de la crème of legal education) due to the aspiring lawyers’ inability to practice good faith, unbiased law. And no wonder: The Federalist Society at Stanford Law School hosted Judge Kyle Duncan of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals – he was shouted down by a group of students. Our guest Ilya Shapiro was nearly fired for tweeting about Biden’s Supreme Court nominations. We are, as a nation, beginning to forget… this is a representative democracy. We are not governed by a mob. Free speech is a foundational tenet of the Constitution that defines this country and its institutions. College sophomoric groupthink on social issues is one thing; but the next generation of Supreme Court prosecutors already radicalized enough that they are being barred by current sitting judges? That’s quite another problem.

Ilya Shapiro is a senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute. Previously he was executive director and senior lecturer at the Georgetown Center for the Constitution, and before that a vice president of the Cato Institute, director of Cato’s Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, and publisher of the Cato Supreme Court Review. Shapiro is the author of Supreme Disorder: Judicial Nominations and the Politics of America’s Highest Court.

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WTH is Going On with the Discord Leaks? Former CIA Field Officer Marc Polymeropoulos Explains How It Happened and What It Means Apr 26, 2023

The Ukrainians are running out of munitions and the war is predicted to endure past 2023; China is debuting new missiles that have the ability to penetrate US defenses; Egypt Is toying with supporting Russia in attacking Ukraine; ISIS is evolving. These are just a handful of the revelations from the viral Discord leaks, a set of US intelligence documents leaked on the gaming platform Discord and other sites by 21-year-old Jack Teixeira of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. Ways to interpret the fallout are manifold, but lessons learned all point back to US responsibility: that Ukraine will face empty bins is a self-fulfilling prophecy that the US can remedy through a revitalization of its defense industrial base. That Taiwan is at enhanced risk of invasion by China every day is only tempered by US willingness to build up Taiwan’s defense and develop a strategic counter-aggression framework. Content aside, that a 21-year-old kid was able to photograph and share US top secret information, and continue sharing it for 8 months – well, it is not a leap to underscore the importance of tightening US intelligence security measures to prevent this from ever happening again.

Marc Polymeropoulos is a nonresident senior fellow in the Forward Defense practice of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Polymeropoulos worked for twenty-six years at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) before retiring in July 2019 at the Senior Intelligence Service level. He was one of the CIA’s most highly decorated operations officers. He is the author of Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA.

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WTH Happened To Patriotism, Faith and Community in America? Patrick Ruffini Explains the Decline in Key Values that Made Us Who We Are Apr 19, 2023

The priorities that have traditionally shaped American national character – patriotism, religious faith, family, community involvement – are no longer as important to most Americans. The Wall Street Journal reported this trend in a viral poll, but the sentiment is believable even without the stark statistics. This poll was conducted in 1989, 2019, and now in 2023, and the only value to go up in importance? Money. Our guest explains that there is necessary context for the reported numbers due to methodology, but the overall trend is undeniable: we are becoming an increasingly selfish country. And what is to blame? Perhaps it is the echo chamber of social media, the decline of serious education, or anti-Western propaganda from our adversaries beginning to define our own national message. In any case, the country is unhealthy. But entirely fixable, and worth fixing.

Patrick Ruffini is a pollster and co-founder of Echelon Insights, a polling and analytics firm. Ruffini began his career working for President George W. Bush, including roles at the Republican National Committee, his re-election campaign, and in his Administration. From 2005 to 2006, he was the lead digital strategist for the RNC. He is the Author of Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP (coming November 2023).

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WTH Happened to American Military Power? Seth Jones on Why the US Can’t Produce the Weapons We Need Apr 12, 2023

The conflict in Ukraine has revealed what conventional war looks like in this day and age. It has also made clear just how extensively the US defense industrial base has atrophied in the post-Cold War era. We are struggling to keep pace with arming Ukraine, even when drawing from stockpiles that have not been replenished since Reagan’s buildup in the 1980s. We are failing to put in place today contracts that will produce critical munitions by 2026 and beyond, but the reality is that the entire system is so broken (from the supply chain, to research vs. procurement imbalances, to budget hurdles) that American leadership in future great power conflict is a question mark, not a given. What does this mean looking ahead? Our guest ran over a half dozen war games to simulate what a US conflict with China over Taiwan would look like; he discovered that we will run out of some of our most advanced precision weapons in less than a week. This should be a wake-up call – why are we seeing sobering lessons from Ukraine but failing to learn them?

Seth G. Jones is senior vice president, Harold Brown Chair, director of the International Security Program, and director of the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Prior to joining CSIS, Dr. Jones was the director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation. He also served as representative for the commander, U.S. Special Operations Command, to the assistant secretary of defense for special operations. Before that, he was a plans officer and adviser to the commanding general, U.S. Special Operations Forces, in Afghanistan (Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command–Afghanistan).

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ICYMI: WTH is Tik Tok So Dangerous? Klon Kitchen on How the Chinese Communist Party is Reading Your Keystrokes and Collecting Your Data Apr 05, 2023

It’s spring break, and your kids might have more time on their hands… so we are revisiting one of our best and increasingly relevant episodes.

Over a third of Americans spend hours every day on an app that directly feeds their data to the Chinese government. TikTok, owned by Chinese parent company Bytedance, is constantly collecting reams of data on its users, from GPS to keystrokes to outer-app monitoring, and even encrypted data that might be useful someday. But aren’t these D.C. elite problems — worrying only for those who plan to work in intelligence or government someday? Nope. The implications of China’s TikTok-enabled reach touch almost every American. Personal privacy aside, our national security is at immediate risk. The Chinese Communist Party exerts a measure of control over more than one-third of Americans. Are we going to continue to cede our sovereignty to Xi Jinping? Or will the U.S. Government shut down TikTok once and for all?

These questions with Klon Kitchen, a senior fellow at AEI. He specializes in national security, defense technology, innovation, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Previously, he was a director at the Heritage Foundation and was the national security advisor to Sen. Ben Sasse. He has worked at the NCTC, the National Counterterrorism Center, in the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, and at the Defense Intelligence Agency.

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WTH is Going On with Artificial Intelligence? Tyler Cowen Explains the Next Technological Revolution Mar 29, 2023

The wheel, the printing press, the steam engine, and… ChatGPT? A Luddite you may be, but there is no escaping the world’s newest technological revolution: personal artificial intelligence. It is easy to list the net-negatives of another tech medium designed to further decrease the already dwindling human-to-human interactions in our life – the atomization of society is bad, children growing up on screens is bad, the erosion of individual judgment and critical thinking is bad. Not to mention the evanescence of jobs and the mechanization of learning. But is it all bad? Like any technological advance, there are both beneficial and dangerous applications. And as our guest notes, the danger of misuse does not reside in 1’s and 0’s, but in the user, the human. Are the forces of good more productive and innovative than evil? Or will we fall prey to our own innovation?

These questions and more with Tyler Cowen. Dr. Cowen is a professor at George Mason University, where he holds the Holbert L. Harris chair in the economics department. He hosts the economics blog Marginal Revolution, and maintains the website Marginal Revolution University, a venture in online education. He is the co-author of Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Winners, and Creatives Around the World.

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WTH Donald Trump 2024? Karl Rove on Whether the Former President can be Beaten Mar 22, 2023

The 2024 presidential nominee field is starting to take shape, with headlines pointing to a Biden-Trump replay. But are those really the only likely options? Actually, no. Two-thirds of polled Republicans want someone other than Trump, but who can continue Trump’s policies. This means energy independence, a conservative court, cutting taxes, hawkish China policy, a strong military—all led by someone authentic, personal, and who can lead the country for eight strong years. One possibility is DeSantis, who has rallied support for his conservative domestic policy but is hedging on foreign and defense policy. There are other good options as well, but the GOP base is still afraid of offending Trump’s base, a stumbling block going up against a fairly robust Democratic bench. Make no mistake: this is an inflection point for the Republican party. Will it regress to the pre-Pearl Harbor, GOP, or Democratic-Ted Kennedy isolationism? Or will someone take up the Reagan mantle, and govern as the leader of the free world, in such a way that China, Russia, and other aggressors take notice?

These questions and more with Karl Rove. Rove is the former Senior Advisor to George W. Bush, and former Chief of Staff. He is a Fox News contributor and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight.

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WTH is Going On with Silicon Valley Bank? Michael Strain on how Federal Policy Helped Cause the Disaster Mar 14, 2023

Before Friday, Silicon Valley Bank was the sixteenth largest bank in America. Now it bears the standard of being the second largest bank failure in US history, only upstaged by the 2008 financial crisis. As the initial shock – both to the market and to news headlines – is wearing off, some things are clear: SVB was badly run, had mismanaged its asset investments, and as a truly silicon valley-centric bank, had an un-diversified portfolio tied to tech start-ups, crypto, and its California clientele. But the real catalyst? A long year of the Biden administration’s failure to combat inflation caused the Fed to hike interest rates, resulting in a major loss of asset value for the bonds SVB owned. Now, the Fed, FDIC, and Treasury Department have decided to protect depositors – but not shareholders – beyond the standard $250,000 insured cap for deposits. In short, the average taxpayer is bailing out the Silicon Valley elite.

Michael Strain is the Director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Dr. Strain is also the author of The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It).

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Going On with the Lab Leak Cover Up? Josh Rogin on Why We Must Get to the Bottom of the Origin of COVID Mar 08, 2023

More than three years later, we are still investigating the origins of the deadliest pandemic in recent history. The DOE and FBI have given credence to the explanation that the virus originated in a Chinese government lab in Wuhan – so why don’t lab leak theorists feel vindicated? Because, as our guest alleges, this is just the beginning. China owes the US reparations; Biden owes the American people a focused investigation and explanation; Dr. Tony Fauci and Francis Collins owe more than an apology for their scandalous cover-up. This is a democracy, and the truth will come out eventually – but a deeper truth has already seen the light: our public health institutions have been corrupted, as has our media.

Josh Rogin is a columnist for the Washington Post and a political analyst with CNN. He is also the author of Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the Twenty-First Century. Previously, Josh covered foreign policy and national security for Bloomberg View, Newsweek, The Daily Beast, Foreign Policy magazine, Congressional Quarterly, Federal Computer Week magazine, and Japan’s Asahi Shimbun.

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WTH is Going on with “Death on Demand” in Canada? Alexander Raikin Explains Medically Assisted Death in the Great White North Mar 01, 2023

Canada’s euthanasia protocol – not merely doctor assisted suicide, but specifically euthanasia – is among the most expansive in the world. The euthanasia program, called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) was enacted in 2016 and was, at its inception, already broad: in 2021 it accounted for 3.3% of all deaths in Canada, which is over 27 people per day, and eligibility included not just those with foreseeable death but also those with disabilities – like hearing loss. Now, Parliament is gearing up to expand the eligibility further, to include those with mental illness and even minors. For context, this makes Canada more accepting to euthanasia than the German public in 1933 under the Nazi regime. Not to mention, the deeper insidious motivation for an increasing number of MAiD cases in Canada: a social welfare network so threadbare that Canadian citizens would rather die than face abject poverty on top of a shambolic healthcare system. To coin a phrase, what the hell is going on?

Alexander Raikin is a freelance writer. He writes about medical ethics, and specifically about the Canadian medical system. He's written on Canada's euthanasia laws for National Review, New Atlantis, the Free Beacon, and others.

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WTH is Going On with China, Russia and Ukraine? General Jack Keane Explains How To Defeat Putin and Deter Beijing Feb 22, 2023

This week marks the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The anniversary comes on the heels of the Chinese spy balloon debacle. Think these are unrelated issues? Not so – as General Jack Keane explains in this masterclass of logical statesmanship and responsible deterrence, victory in Ukraine is not only in America’s interest and in the interest of the security of Europe, it is also crucial to deterring China from acts of aggression. From China buying Russian oil, to now hinting at supplying them with lethal weapons, these two American adversaries are increasingly interconnected. President Biden made a commendable trip to Kyiv to commemorate the anniversary of the war, a significant demonstration of America’s continued support in the conflict. But hard power is also necessary to win in Ukraine, and yes, even retake territory formerly lost to Russian annexation. Jack Keane explains, in detail, what is required to make this possible.

General Jack Keane is a retired 4-star general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, and a Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst.

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WTH is Going On with Iowa's Revolutionary School Choice Plan? Governor Kim Reynolds on Education Reforms in the Hawkeye State Feb 15, 2023

Parents are increasingly losing ownership of the right to their child’s education. Americans saw the effects from widespread school closures over Covid (nearly two decades of educational progress wiped out), and continue to see educational systems that promote partisan agendas, all leaving parents little recourse to choose where and how their child is educated. Not to mention, the Nation’s Report Card statistics released for 2022, which showed record low reading and math scores, with minority and lower-economic students faring the worst. What are parents to do, especially those who cannot afford to send their children to private, parochial, or otherwise quality places for education? Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa recently passed one of the most sweeping school choice laws in the country to answer this very question. Her school choice bill gives every student in the state of Iowa an educational savings account of approximately $7,600 in per-pupil funding to facilitate placement in private schools. And no, it does not take resources away from public schools – it actually saves them money. No, this does not degrade the public school education quality, but rather fosters the competition we know to be necessary to help any establishment realize potential. And most importantly, it gives educational choice back to the parents of these students.

Governor Kim Reynolds is the 43rd governor of Iowa, with the distinction of being the first woman elected to the state's highest office. Previously, she was a Clark County treasurer before she was elected to the Iowa Senate. She was the running mate and lieutenant governor to Terry Branstad.

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WTH Happened with the Chinese Spy Balloon? Rep. Mike Gallagher on the Brazen CCP Incursion and the Threat from Communist China Feb 06, 2023

The Biden Administration has been “too little too late” in countering Russia, and is increasingly playing by the same rules with the Chinese Communist Party. The latest national security spectacle played out over a full week before the White House ordered the shoot down of the Chinese spy balloon that floated from the tip of Alaska all the way through the coast of the Carolinas. The questions surrounding this event are numerous: what was NORAD doing while it watched this slow-moving CCP target drift into American airspace? If this has happened in the past, as the White House maintains, why don’t we have a standard operating procedure to deal with it? But beyond this incident, it is the implications of the U.S. reaction that truly matter – if it takes a civilian standing in a field in Montana to point out a security threat to prompt the White House to action, we have a problem. If we don’t get serious, fast, about China, we’re adding to the problems we already face with the CCP. And if we continue to hedge on defense spending, and see Chinese incursions and major wars as isolated crises, the nation will pay a much heavier price down the road.

Representative Mike Gallagher (WI-08) is the new Chairman of the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. He is also on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He has served in the House since 2017. Before that, he served for seven years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, including two deployments in Iraq. He also served as the lead Republican staffer for the Middle East and Counterterrorism on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

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WTH Happened to Western Resolve In Ukraine? Yaroslav Trofimov on the Long War Ahead Feb 01, 2023

Next month will mark a year since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has continued. The Russian military has proven to be disorganized and surprisingly inept, President Zelensky by contrast has shown incredible resolve and organization, and the West is by and large committed to a Ukrainian victory. So why is that victory, nearly a year later, still so uncertain? The Biden Administration continues to pursue correct policy, but far too slowly – Washington’s “drip drip drip” approach to aid has left Ukraine approaching something more akin to stalemate than advancement as we reach mid-winter. A pervasive hesitancy to provoke Putin is still holding the West hostage, and plays directly to Russia’s advantage. We have passed the point of immediate and swift defeat, and the war is unlikely to end anytime soon and perhaps not even fully in Ukraine’s favor. Time is not on Ukraine’s side, but the West is not prepared for that reality.

Yaroslav Trofimov discusses his WSJ piece, The War in Ukraine Will Be Long, Is the West Ready? Trofimov is the Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent of the Wall Street Journal. He covered the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and has been working out of Ukraine since January 2022. He previously served as Rome, Middle East, and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as Dubai-based columnist on the greater Middle East. He is the author of two books, Faith at War and Siege of Mecca.

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WTH is the House GOP Doing on National Security? Hugh Hewitt Explains what the House Freedom Caucus Means for Defense and Ukraine Jan 25, 2023

The race for Speaker of the House underscored the 2022 midterm narrative: the Republican Party is increasingly divided, and unable to consolidate power long enough to effect positive change. Now Speaker Kevin McCarthy was held hostage by a powerful “Knucklehead Caucus” (our guest’s moniker for the Never Kevinites) until its leader Matt Gaetz simply “ran out of things to ask for.” Some of these same dissenters have now been promoted to top committees in the House, the results of McCarthy’s Faustian pact to claim the speakership. Who are the Knuckleheads? Are they all knuckleheads? And how did this isolationist group of extremist budget hawks group climb atop the GOP pile? Among the reasons -- lack of strong leadership in the party, a lack of national security leadership in the White House, an end to substantive national debate in favor of social media hot takes, and more. And all of it is worrisome for the trajectory of the GOP, and America, going forward.

Hugh Hewitt is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host with the Salem Radio Network. He is the Former Director of the United States Office of Personnel Management. He has been a correspondent at Fox, and was the former president of the Richard Nixon Foundation. He is also a columnist at the Washington Post.

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WTH is Happening with the Biden Classified Document Scandal? Andy McCarthy on the Legal and Political Implications Jan 18, 2023

This is the third incident of document-gate in as many election cycles: Hillary Clinton with her “home brew” internet server, Trump with Mar-a-Lago, and now Biden with classified documents stored in his Washington D.C. think tank and his (locked!) garage. It is, to use Biden’s own characterization of Trump’s document scandal, “irresponsible,” to an almost ridiculous degree. And Biden’s claim that he did not know how the national secrets ended up in his home are the very opposite of comforting. Like probes of presidencies past, Biden’s scandal raises a slew of suspicions: why did the public only learn about this now, when the documents were discovered before the midterm elections? Is the newly appointed Special Counsel a piece of political fiction to slake public thirst for justice, when in reality the Attorney General answers to the president all along? Will Congress step up and provide the oversight as the Constitution intended?

These questions and more with Andy McCarthy. McCarthy is a senior fellow at National Review Institute. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and led the 1995 terrorism prosecution against Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman. He is also the author of Ball of Collusion: The Plot to Rig an Election and Destroy a Presidency.

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WTH Happened with the "Never Kevin" Rebellion? Chad Pergram Explains the Chaos in the House GOP Jan 11, 2023

The 118th Congress has arrived, and after 15 grueling voting sessions, we finally have a Speaker of the House: Kevin McCarthy. This is the first time an election for speaker went to multiple ballots since 1923, and that is not the only element of the history-making chaos. To secure the gavel, McCarthy agreed to lower the number of members needed to begin a vote of “no confidence” from 5 to 1, and agreed to cap the levels of discretionary spending at FY22 levels; he has promised a slew of new subcommittees; agreed to re-organize appropriations; and the list goes on, to the point where Matt Gaetz, McCarthy’s nemesis in the Speaker race, “ran out of stuff to ask for.” As the drama unfolds, we find ourselves asking exactly What the Hell is Going On… who are these self-described “rebels” in Congress, really? What does this mean for defense spending and Ukraine, and balancing the budget in general?

These questions and more with our guest Chad Pergram. Chad is a Senior Congressional Correspondent at Fox News. He has won an Edward R. Murrow Award and is a two-time recipient of the Joan Barone Award. Prior to Fox he was a Senate producer for C-SPAN, producer and anchor for NPR, and a reporter for the Capitol News Connection.

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WTH Happened in 2022? The 10 Best and Worst Policy Things Biden Did Jan 04, 2023

What the hell happened in 2022? Joe Biden is midway through his presidency, and he has delivered both good and bad policy. The bad may outweigh the good … record inflation, growing divisions among Americans, skyrocketing gas prices, an unconstitutional grab for trillions to forgive student loans, and the list continues. But his presidency has not been without accomplishments either, from the invitation of Finland and Sweden to join NATO, to declaring U.S. policy to defend Taiwan, to handling China’s semiconductor industry. What made both lists? Ukraine: his rallying of allies to save Ukraine, but often too little, too late.

In this week’s New Year’s episode, Marc and Dany discuss Marc’s Washington Post lists on the top ten best and worst things the president did this year.

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WTH Is Going On with Mike Pence? The Former VP on January 6, Loyalty to the Constitution, China, Ukraine and More. Dec 21, 2022

We’re familiar with the story: the storming of the Capitol nearly two years ago, Donald J. Trump’s attempt to “stop the steal,” the legal mess that ensued. But our institutions held. And Vice President Mike Pence followed through with his Constitutional duty, and certified the Biden victory in 2020. The former VP joins us on the podcast today to speak about what happened that day, and the difficulty of navigating an unconstitutional and disqualifying end to four years of solid conservative policy. He reminds us that America must honor its commitments to its people, and that in foreign policy, simply, America stands for freedom.

Mike Pence was the 48th Vice President of the United States. He has a new memoir out, So Help Me God. He was the 50th governor of Indiana, and served for 12 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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WTH is Going On with the Spike in Antisemitism? Walter Russell Mead on the Myth of Jewish Power and His New History of the US-Israel Relationship Dec 14, 2022

Kanye West, Nick Fuentes, and Donald Trump meet for dinner… and discuss what, exactly? Indeed, what does a white supremacist have in common with Kanye?? Yep, hatred for the Jewish people. The spike in antisemitism seen today can be explained away – bad economy, covid, whatever – but the sad truth is that Jew-hatred has been a perennial in American life for centuries. The truth, of course, is that America’s tiny percentage of Jews have been singularly unable to move the needle in favor of their own well-being or the well-being of the State of Israel. The reality and the tropes of antisemitism do not line up in any way. But when have facts ever gotten in the way of bigotry?

The rise in antisemitism, relations with the State of Israel and much more on today’s episode with Walter Russell Mead. Mead is the author of the new book, The Arc of a Covenant: The United States, Israel, and the Fate of the Jewish People. He is the Global View Columnist at the Wall Street Journal, a Distinguished Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and a Professor of Foreign Affairs and Humanities and Bard College. He is also a member of the Aspen Institute.

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WTH is Happening with the Chinese Protests? Dan Blumenthal on Backlash Against the CCP's Zero-Covid Policies Dec 07, 2022

Xi Jinping's long-lasting, draconian zero-Covid policy has resulted in the largest protests in China in more than 30 years. Tens of thousands of demonstrators are testing the government’s “perfect” police state by actively calling for an end to Xi’s regime, breaking through China’s firewall to spread protest messaging, and calling into question the very legitimacy of the empire Xi has built. This instability comes in the face of Xi Jinping’s tightening grip on state power; the recent Chinese Military Power Report showcases a military capable of taking Taiwan, and Xi’s ideological push shows that he is willing. In just a few years, the U.S. may very well be wishing that it had taken more risks in its approach to defending Taiwan, to increasing democratic messaging in China, and to hardline policy on Xi’s regime… how will we ensure today that these future mistakes are not made?

Our guest this week is Dan Blumenthal, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Previously, Blumenthal served as senior director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia at the US Department of Defense. He also served as a commissioner on the congressionally mandated US-China Economic and Security Review Commission from 2006-2007, and was vice chairman of the commission in 2007. He also served on the Academic Advisory board of the congressional US-China Working Group. He is the author of The China Nightmare: The Grand Ambitions of a Decaying State.

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WTH is Tik Tok So Dangerous? Klon Kitchen on How the Chinese Communist Party is Reading Your Keystrokes and Collecting Your Data Nov 30, 2022

Over a third of Americans spend hours every day on an app that directly feeds their data to the Chinese government. TikTok, owned by Chinese parent company Bytedance, is constantly collecting reams of data on its users, from GPS to keystrokes to outer-app monitoring, and even encrypted data that might be useful someday. But aren’t these D.C. elite problems — worrying only for those who plan to work in intelligence or government someday? Nope. The implications of China’s TikTok-enabled reach touch almost every American. Personal privacy aside, our national security is at immediate risk. The Chinese Communist Party exerts a measure of control over more than one-third of Americans. Are we going to continue to cede our sovereignty to Xi Jinping? Or will the U.S. Government shut down TikTok once and for all?

These questions with Klon Kitchen, a senior fellow at AEI. He specializes in national security, defense technology, innovation, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Previously, he was a director at the Heritage Foundation and was the national security advisor to Sen. Ben Sasse. He has worked at the NCTC, the National Counterterrorism Center, in the Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, and at the Defense Intelligence Agency.

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WTH Happened to U.S. Global Leadership? Senator Tom Cotton on his new book Only the Strong Nov 23, 2022

The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. A lack of strategy to face China. Indifference in the face of Iranian protests. In-fighting over the correct policy to support Ukraine. Is it any wonder that the American people are wondering about the efficacy and longevity of America’s power? A hard look at American history suggests that the reasons behind American decline have more to do with choice than with circumstances. Decline, after all, is a choice for American presidents persuaded the nation is not a force for good in the world. Leaders in Washington who are willing to adopt strong and decicive military policy are few and far between, on both sides of the aisle. How do we fix decades of decaying interest in American power? How do we market American security in the global context to reluctant internationalists?

These questions and more with today’s guest, Senator Tom Cotton. Sen. Cotton is the U.S. Senator for Arkansas, and just released the book, Only the Strong: Reversing the Left’s Plot to Sabotage America. His senatorial committees include the Judiciary Committee, the Intelligence Committee, and the Armed Services Committee. He previously served in Iraq with the 101st Airborne, and served in Afghanistan with a Provincial Reconstruction team. He also served with The Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, and has received the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and Ranger Tab.

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WTH are Democrats Learning the Wrong Lessons from the Midterms? Ruy Teixeira on How MAGA is Masking the Democrats' Failures with Women, Minorities and the Working Class Nov 16, 2022

The 2022 midterms came as a shock to Ds and Rs alike: the Democrats did better than expected, and the Republicans did worse. Much worse. Last week, covered the reasons behind the Red Fail. But what about Democrats? The left ran a shrewd, if cynical, anti-MAGA campaign, and capitalized on weak GOP candidates. But it the aftermath, President Biden and his party seem to be learning the wrong lessons. Despite losing ground with women and minorities, the Democrats’ short-term vindication has encouraged Biden to announce he would make no changes. None at all. What he and his party don’t get is that the Democrats didn’t win, the Republicans lost.

Our guest this week is Ruy Teixeira. Teixeria is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute where he focuses on the transformation of party coalitions and future of American electoral politics. He is the co-editor of the Substack The Liberal Patriot, and he previously was a scholar at the Center for American Progress and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution.

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WTH Happened to the Red Wave? Josh Kraushaar Explains the 2022 Midterm Elections Nov 10, 2022

In the months leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, the Republican party projected a red wave of GOP wins across the nation. And the odds were good: Biden has delivered the worst inflation in 40 years, the worst collapse of real wages in four decades, the worst murder rate since 1996, and that's not all. His approval rating is abysmal, and of course, the party in power almost always loses seats in a midterm election. So why did the predicted red wave not only fail to materialize in full, but barely show up as a trickle? Although results are not final, one thing is certain: Trump lost big time, and DeSantis swept. While we wait for the runoff in Georgia (again), the GOP is asking itself what the hell is going on. Will someone emerge as a viable challenger to Team Trump? Can the Republican brand be repaired?

These questions and more with our guest, Josh Kraushaar. Kraushaar is a Senior Political correspondent at Axios, and host of the Against the Grain podcast. Previously, he was Editor in Chief of the Hotline, and a co-author at the Almanac of American Politics.

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WTH is Going On with the Uprising in Iran? Behnam Taleblu on Whether This Is the One That Will Finally Topple the Iranian Regime Nov 02, 2022

On September 13th, 22 year-old Mahsa Amini was arrested and subsequently murdered in custody by Iran's so-called morality police. Her abuse at the hands of the Islamic Republic regime sparked the nation’s biggest uprising since the 2009 Green Revolutions. Over a month later, the chants of "Women, life liberty" have continued, but so has the brutal crackdown by the regime, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Iranian society is making clear that it wants an end to the system and the people that have governed Iran since 1979, but is that possible? And would the fall of the regime mean a power vacuum filled by Iranian military leaders? Back home, will Biden's support for democracy prove more “ornamental than instrumental”?

These questions and more with our guest Behnam Ben Taleblu. Taleblu is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense for Democracies where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues. Prior to FDD, he worked on non-proliferation issues at the Wisconsin Project and has tracked a wide range of Iran-related topics including: nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, sanctions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Iranian security and internal politics.

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WTH is Going On with the Conservative Implosion in Britain? Gerry Baker on What It All Means for the Right in America Oct 26, 2022

The last four months have been, by any measure, incredibly tumultuous for UK leadership. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was ousted and replaced by Liz Truss, a new monarch took the throne, then Truss resigned from leadership in record time after plunging the UK economy into disarray... and this week Rishi Sunak was sworn in as the new Prime Minister. Americans, looking at their closest political and economic ally across the pond, have every reason to be nervous. What happened to the Tory Party in Great Britain, and how long can it survive this turmoil? Is Sunak up to the task? And, importantly, what parallels can we draw between the challenges facing conservatism abroad, and those facing conservatives at home?

These questions and more with our guest, Gerry Baker. Baker is the editor at large of the Wall Street Journal. He has a weekly column, Free Expression, that appears every Tuesday; he also hosts “WSJ at Large with Gerry Baker,” a weekly news and current affairs interview show on the Fox Business Network, and the weekly WSJ Opinion podcast "Free Expression". A former editor in chief of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones, he began his career working at the Financial Times, the Times of London and the BBC.

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Why the Hell is the Right Embracing Victor Orbán? Matt Continetti on Why Some American Conservatives Are Speaking with a Hungarian Accent Oct 19, 2022

A few weeks ago, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave a keynote address at the U.S. Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Given Orban's tight relationship with Putin and his aggressive brand of Euro-xenophobia, many American liberals and conservatives alike were shocked. But Orban's speech at CPAC -- and CPAC's own meeting in Hungary -- is part of a larger shift on the American Right; indeed, this is a throwback to the Right of the 1930s. As traditional Reaganites wonder what happened to "peace through strength," is it time to ask how "national conservatism" and Reagan-conservatism can live together? And who is the leader that can show the way?

These questions and more with Matthew Continetti. Continetti is a senior fellow and the inaugural Patrick and Charlene Neal Chair at the American Enterprise Institute. He is the author of an important new book, The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism.

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Why the Hell is Biden talking about Armageddon? Frederick Kagan on the Chances Putin will Use Nukes in Ukraine Oct 12, 2022

Putin is incurring major losses on the battlefield. The strategic and symbolic Kerch Bridge connecting mainland Russia to Crimea was hit a few hours after Putin turned 70; Russian citizens are increasingly unhappy with their leadership; the Ukrainian counter-offensive is resilient and capitalizing on Russia's many military vulnerabilities. Putin has ramped up threats of nuclear escalation, prompting Joe Biden to warn of impending Armageddon at a recent Democratic fundraiser. Is nuclear escalation a legitimate fear? If so, how do we deter Russia from escalating without offering Putin a compromise or offramp?

Fred Kagan on these questions and more in today's episode. Kagan is the director of AEI's Critical Threats Project. He, together with the Institute for the Study of War, release a live Ukraine-Russia war tracker.

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WTH Is Going to Happen in the Midterms & 2024? Karl Rove predicts... Oct 06, 2022

We're just shy of a month out from the 2022 midterm elections, a race that promises the GOP at least a leading edge in the House, if not a tsunami. And perhaps even a Senate win. But there remain critical unknowns: What will happen with the cohort of Trump-endorsed nominees, none of whom seem the best and the brightest their state has to offer? Trump cost the GOP the Senate once before; will that happen again, and will he pay for it this time? And then, the million-dollar question: depending on how this race goes, what will 2024 look like?

All these questions and more on today's episode with Karl Rove. Rove is a columnist for the Wall Street Journal. He is the co-founder (with former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie) of American Crossroads, a major Republican 527. He is also the author of The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters.

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Why the Hell are we in the “Danger Zone” with China? Hal Brands and Michael Beckley on the growing chance of war with Beijing Sep 28, 2022

Conventional wisdom describes China as a rising power, and it was. No more: China's economy is slowing, it is headed into a demographic catastrophe of its own design, it has a brittle and totalitarian political system, and it feels encircled by its neighbors. Our guests Hal Brands and Michael Beckley, authors of the new book Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China, assert that China is not "rising," but rather that it has "peaked." More troubling still, judging by the history of peaking powers (Germany pre-WWI, or Imperial Japan,) the US should be very nervous about a short-term grab for power or territory by a panicked Beijing.

Both Hal Brands and Michael Beckley are scholars at AEI. Hal is a senior fellow and the Henry A. Kissinger distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a columnist at Bloomberg. Michael Beckley is a non-resident senior fellow, and is an associate professor at Tufts University.

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WTH is Going On with Ukraine's Counteroffensive? Kurt Volker on Russia's defeats and Putin's future Sep 21, 2022

Late last month, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against Russian forces in Eastern Ukraine, taking back substantial territory. Incredibly, in the face of reputedly superior Russian forces, the Ukrainian military now enjoys the upper hand with respect to available personnel, equipment, command, and motivation. The tide has turned largely in Ukraine's favor… so why is the Biden Administration still dragging its heels? China and India are cooling on their support for Putin's military foibles, domestic support in Russia is wavering, and Moscow is now backed into sourcing drones from Iran and artillery from North Korea -- all dread signs for Vladimir Putin. So what is needed to galvanize available resources in the US and in NATO to push Ukraine over the edge into decisive victory?

These questions and more on today's episode with Ambassador Kurt Volker. Amb. Volker is a former US ambassador to NATO and the former US Special Representative for Ukraine. He is now a distinguished fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, and a founding partner of the American University in Kyiv.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Going On With the British Monarchy? Nile Gardiner on Queen Elizabeth II's Legacy Sep 14, 2022

Today we discuss the passing of one of modern history's most beloved and well-known leaders: Queen Elizabeth II. With her departure comes the end of the second Elizabethan era, one that weathered world war and domestic tumult with a brand of political neutrality rarely seen on the world stage today. Much is to be discussed in the coming years regarding the state of the Commonwealth, with several countries already hinting at their departure. But today, we take a moment with seriousness — and yes, some humor — to remember the powerful impact of Queen Elizabeth II, her life, her legacy, and her unique unifying force.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Going On with Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness? Michael Strain Explains the Moral, Legal and Economic Policy Fiasco Sep 07, 2022

We return from our hiatus to discuss Biden’s trillion-dollar student loan forgiveness plan. Even for those with little background in economics, this is clearly a case of the inverse Robin Hood: a regressive act that takes from the poor and gives to the much less poor. Not to mention, the plan is an assault on the Congressional power of the purse, and legally murky with the justification of the post-9/11 Heroes Act. And let us not forget that this act paradoxically comes on the heels of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, though it is an incredibly costly plan that will only exacerbate current inflation levels.

As the Democratic Party consolidates its role as the party of college-educated coastal elites, AEI’s Michael Strain joins us to unpack the student loan handout. Strain is the Director of Economic Studies at the American Enterprise Institute.

Download the transcript here.

ICYMI...WTH is going on with the killing of Iran’s lead nuclear scientist? Behind the assassination of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh and the latest on the Iranian nuclear weapons program Aug 25, 2022

Back to the Iran Deal... ICYMI our podcast with David Albright on what Iran is really up to...

Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated in Tehran last week, eliminating the country’s leading nuclear expert and the head of its program. Iranian officials have blamed Israel for Fakhrizadeh’s killing, vowing retaliation for the targeted attack.

Nuclear weapons expert David Albright joined Dany and Marc to explain what Fakhrizadeh’s death means for the country’s effort to obtain nuclear weapons. He also discusses what to expect from Iran in the coming days and how the Biden administration’s Iran policy will differ from that of the Trump administration.

David Albright, a physicist, is founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security. He is a former weapons inspector and has written numerous assessments on secret nuclear weapons programs throughout the world.

Download the transcript here.

One year later, ICYMI... WTH is going on with the Taliban takeover? Frederick Kagan on the fall of Kabul, the Afghan army’s role, and Biden’s surrender to the Taliban Aug 17, 2022

One year later, a WTH throwback to an outstanding pod recorded in the wake of the disastrous withdrawal…

Almost 20 years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban are back in control of the country. After President Biden’s decision to depart Afghanistan regardless of conditions on the ground, and the withdrawal of U.S. intelligence and air support to the Afghan army, the Taliban rapidly advanced, culminating in the collapse of the Afghan government.

Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Taliban takeover, President Biden’s decision, the role of the Afghan army, and the impact on al Qaeda.

Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the U.S. military mission.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Is Going On With Pelosi's Taiwan Trip? Rep. Mike Gallagher on Why Pelosi Was Right To Go and How Biden Created Another Needless Crisis Aug 01, 2022

We break our hiatus briefly today, because this is important. News leaked that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi planned to travel to Taiwan this month, and it caused an uproar as the public battled online about whether her trip would provoke China. Leadership hasn’t handled this well: Xi Jinping threatened military action and instead of condemning the threat, Biden hid behind the Pentagon. We know today that Pelosi plans to follow through with the visit, but this incident leaves us alarmed at the Biden administration’s lack of preparedness. By 2027, when China’s military is predicted to be capable of taking Taiwan, America’s is set to be at its weakest. We know that “integrated deterrence” was unsuccessful in Ukraine, yet there are few real plans to focus on hard power in Taiwan. America has promised to arm Taiwan, but $14 billion of delayed defense equipment requested by Taiwan sits idle. Why doesn’t the White House have a coherent war plan by now? Are we letting China deter us on the cheap?

These questions and more today with Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Member of Congress representing Wisconsin’s 8th district. Gallagher sits on the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees. He served seven years in the US Marine Corps, with two tours in Iraq.

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WTH Happened to an Objective News Media? Ari Fleischer on His New Book, Suppression, Deception, Snobbery, and Bias: Why the Press Gets So Much Wrong Jul 27, 2022

Just 7% of Americans today report having a great deal of trust in the media. A majority of the public believes that the media is more concerned with supporting an ideological or political position than informing them. The press is free, but bias has seeped into every corner. And the lack of an objective press threatens American democracy, degrades the national conversation and pits Americans against each other. How did we get to the point where the White House Press Corps has a ratio of 12:1 Democrat to Republican among reporters? Where a swath of this country’s journalists no longer believe they have an obligation to cover both sides of a story? Where the same reporters that cover statistics of a growing partisan and ideological divide in America are the same sources pushing a divisive agenda?

Ari Fleischer joins us today to offer a fresh perspective on the state of our media. He was the White House Press Secretary to George W. Bush and is a veteran media observer. He's a Fox News commentator, and he has a new book out titled, Suppression, Deception, Snobbery, and Bias: Why the Press Gets So Much Wrong ― And Just Doesn't Care.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Is America Bracing for Blackouts? Robert Bryce On How the Green Energy Movement Is Putting Our Power at Risk Jul 20, 2022

This summer is predicted to hold the worst blackouts that America has seen in recent memory – stories of individuals dying from heat grace the headlines of the same news outlets that report John Kerry’s statement that the US will be coal-free in 8 short years. Indeed, the logical inconsistency in the argument pushed by the green energy movement has never been so stark: if we don’t have a better energy alternative right now, why are we shuttering coal plants and discounting the benefit of nuclear plants? If we are truly experiencing more variable weather due to climate change, why are we focusing on solar and wind technology reliant on particular weather conditions? And, all that not to mention the predicted 233% increase in electricity prices this summer to complement prices at the pump.

Robert Bryce joins us to talk through these questions, offer policy solutions, and more. He's the Austin, Texas-based host of the Power Hungry podcast, as well as executive producer of a documentary called Juice: How Electricity Explains the World, and the author of six books. The most recent one is called A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of Nations.

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WTH Happened to Boris Johnson? The Uprising In the Conservative Party and What It Means for Us Jul 13, 2022

Last week, in the aftermath of both Party and Pinchergate – not to speak of sky-high inflation and higher taxes - Boris Johnson resigned as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. For many, the writing has been on the wall for months: small ethical problems snowballing because of mismanagement and lies; large economic problems fostered by increasingly leftist policies. In light of these challenges, Johnson’s great Brexit achievement’s luster began to fade. The coming days and weeks promise an unseemly scramble for leadership of Britain’s Conservatives. Where will the Tories go? A rebirth of Thatcherism to face Britain’s crises? Or more drift to the squashy left? More importantly still, are there lessons for the United States in the BoJo debacle?

These questions and more in today’s episode with Alan Mendoza. Mendoza is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Henry Jackson Society, a leading UK think tank.

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WTH Is Going On With the War on Fossil Fuels? Dan Yergin on Restoring America's Energy Dominance Jul 06, 2022

Today’s episode with Dan Yergin explores America’s shift away from fossil fuels, looking at the very real domestic and geopolitical implications of shuttering coal plants and transitioning to green energy. Pivoting away from U.S. energy independence has not made the country energy progressive; rather, it has set Americans up for reliance on adversarial energy sources, encouraging strategic allies to import from Russia and China instead. Promoting wind and solar alternatives does not dramatically lower resource usage; it simply shifts from a world of big oil to a world of big shovels, as an enormous quantity of rare earths and minerals are required. Then there’s the fact that the technology to store wind and solar energy does not yet exist. So, how can we think about climate change, resources, geopolitical strategy, and security… practically?

Yergin is the vice-chairman of S&P Global, a director of the Council on Foreign Relations and a trustee of the Brookings Institution. He is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize, for his book The Prize. His newest book is The New Map.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Is Going On In Post-Roe America? Robby George on How We Can Have A Respectful Compassionate Debate on Abortion Jun 29, 2022

Many Americans celebrated the end of Roe vs Wade. Others are deeply angered and worried. The question of abortion is not a simple one, and merits thoughtful discourse and kindness rather than hysteria or trimphalism. Any discussion also requires a real look at the facts; what is the legal basis of this ruling? Where does the pro-life movement stand? What does pro-choice Americans really want? In this episode we try to provide a model for how to approach the conversations ahead with Robby George, one of our nation’s most respected political philosophers.

Robert George is the sixth McCormick professor of jurisprudence and the director of the James Madison program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He is a past winner of the American Enterprise Institute's Irving Kristol Award.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Is Inflation Getting Worse? Michael Strain on Who Is Responsible and How To Fix It Jun 22, 2022

Since our episode on inflation with Glenn Hubbard last month, his dire predictions about a likely recession have gathered steam. And though we’re not yet officially in a recession, Americans’ economic pain is only growing: New record average high gas prices in June, likely rolling blackouts, shocking inflation at the supermarket and now the cost of money has skyrocketed too. Meanwhile, here in Washington, the President continues to go on vacation every weekend, deny that inflation is his fault, and push a mindless spending agenda. How did the Fed, White House economists, and mainstream professional forecasters get it so wrong? And perhaps more importantly, what should be done going forward?

These questions and more on today’s episode with Michael Strain. Strain is the Director of Economic Studies at the American Enterprise Institute.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Biden Letting Russia Win in Eastern Ukraine? Ukrainians Are Running out of Ammo and Losing Ground Jun 15, 2022

Is the news out of Ukraine as bad as it sounds? Russia may not be able to hold out as long as Putin believes, but the Ukrainian military desperately requires longer-range missiles to beat back the offensive in Luhansk. Ukraine’s putative allies are failing to "flood the zone," and do not seem to realize that a frozen conflict is a strategic pause for the Russians, not the end of the game. Domestic politics and news headlines alike reflect a desire to move on, yet Ukraine is at a critical inflection point in Severodonetsk, the last significant Ukrainian prepared defensive position within Luhansk Oblast. How do we ensure that we don't look back at this moment years from now, only to conclude that delays in aiding Ukraine helped the Russian offensive gain a critical strategic advantage?

These questions and more in today's conversation with George Barros. Barros is a geospatial analyst on the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Check out ISW's daily interactive map linked on the transcript, which he helps each week to update.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Do We Do About Guns? National Review's Jim Geraghty Talks Assault Weapons, Reform and Enforcement Jun 08, 2022

Today’s episode is an exploration of the core question gripping our country in the weeks following the Uvalde shooting: how can we prevent such attacks in the future? A terrible pattern repeats again in the recent Uvalde case: a teenager exhibits disturbing behavior before he commits a gun-related crime. With no criminal record, what should have been “tell-tale” signs the shooter was a danger? Jim Geraghty suggests that tougher background checks are not the answer, or at least not the whole answer. In addition, with straw buyers (think grandmothers) purchasing firearms for their teenage grandsons—not to mention the fact that the Pentagon puts more guns in the hands of young adults than anyone else in this country— raising the age restriction may not cut it. It may not even pass legal muster. The challenge isn’t simple, but there are solutions. Marc and Dany explore creative options that could move us forward, and learn why efforts to ban certain kinds of weapons might not with National Review’s Jim Geraghty.

Jim Geraghty is the Senior Political Correspondent of National Review. He writes their Morning Jolt newsletter, and hosts the Three Martini Lunch podcast.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Is Going On with the Baby Formula Shortage? How Government Created This Crisis Jun 01, 2022

This is America - how can we have a shortage of baby formula? That’s the question many parents are asking as they face bare Soviet-style store shelves. In a country with ample means, how did America arrive at what is essentially a food shortage? How did three main domestic baby formula companies come to control 98% of their market? Parent or not, this issue has implications for everyone—it is a case study that involves government regulations, supply chain, monopolies under the guise of capitalism, and barriers to free trade. Or, as one of the podcast’s guests notes, “a perfect storm.”

Marc and Dany explore this puzzling situation with guests Annie Gasparro and Jesse Newman, Wall Street Journal reporters covering the scandal. Gasparro is a food reporter with the WSJ Chicago bureau and writes about packaged food companies and consumer tastes. Newman is also a food reporter with the WSJ corporate bureau, covering farmers, ranchers, and food companies.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Do So Many Russians Support Putin? Ian Garner on Russian Propaganda and the War in Ukraine May 25, 2022

Do Russians really support Vladimir Putin's aggression and war crimes in Ukraine? On the weekend of April 1st, Western media shared photos and videos of a brutal massacre in Bucha, Ukraine. The gruesome reports prompted a fresh wave of outrage over Russian war crimes. This week saw the first Ukrainian war crimes trial that ended in confession and conviction for a Russian soldier. But Russians in government and outside continue to insist that the Bucha massacre is “fake,” or “Western agenda-setting.” More troubling still are broad Russian civilian calls to annihilate the “sub-human” Ukrainians.

Marc and Dany explore this disturbing trend with Ian Garner on today’s episode. Garner is a historian and a translator of Russian war propaganda. His first book, Stalingrad Lives: Stories of Combat and Survival, was published in 2022.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Can We Do About Inflation? Glenn Hubbard on Biden's Response, What's Causing Price Spikes and How to Fix It May 19, 2022

More guns, less butter? Today, average Americans are looking at historic levels of inflation, economic contraction, and rising gas prices, soon to merit the term stagflation—and that's not all. People are leaving their jobs en masse, the average consumer is cutting costs to keep up with personal budget deficits, and meanwhile, the Biden administration has added $1.9 trillion to the $300 billion economic hole. To top it all off, there's trouble abroad with tightening sanctions on Russia and the persistent trade competition with China. Glenn Hubbard joins Dany and Marc to discuss the state of economic affairs, the role of the Fed, Build Back Better, and more.

Glenn Hubbard is a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and the former Dean of the Columbia Business School. He is the current Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics there. He is also the former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Going On with Roe v. Wade? John Yoo Explains the Supreme Court Leak May 11, 2022

Last week we saw the first leak in Supreme Court history – a draft opinion that reversed the landmark Roe v Wade ruling of 1973 and shot the topic of abortion back into the headlines. Former Supreme Court clerk John Yoo joins Dany and Marc again to discuss the legal implications of overturning Roe v Wade, the reasoning behind the leak, and the options before the nation’s voters as they weigh the prospective ruling. Is Roe good law? Does it matter? And do the American people care that issues before the highest court in the land and the nomination of justices have taken on the “character of a political campaign.”

These questions and more on this week’s episode with guest John Yoo. Yoo is a former clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He is currently the Emmanuel Heller professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley school of law. He is a scholar at both the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institution.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Going On in Eastern Ukraine? General Jack Keane on How to Defeat Russia May 05, 2022

Nuclear saber-rattling, threats to expand the war, and $33 billion in new aid: General Jack Keane joins Marc and Dany to discuss the direction of the war in Ukraine. Putin’s efforts have shifted from Kyiv to the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and it’s still not going well. Meanwhile, on the home front, Biden has apparently turned a corner, now aiming to support an outright Ukrainian victory with more weaponry and a proposed $33 billion aid package. Will Putin’s military failures continue, or will he shift tactics and target neighboring regions? How strong is White House resolve to help President Zelensky achieve an uncompromised win? And how should Biden and Zelensky respond should Putin introduce nuclear weapons to the conflict?

These questions and more on this week’s episode with guest General Jack Keane. Jack Keane is a retired four-star general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. He is the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, and a Fox News senior strategic analyst.

Download the transcript here.

WTH Is Going On with Patriotism? Yascha Mounk on How We Can Revitalize National Pride Apr 27, 2022

Is good old American flag waving patriotism dead, only to be replaced with chauvinistic nationalism, or worse, anti-Americanism? Perhaps thinking of national pride as something rooted in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the U.S.’ proud history is too 20thcentury; maybe it is no longer working? Indeed, in a country in which history and civics get short shrift in education, it should come as no surprise that many under 50 feel no pride, no patriotic sense as Americans. But there may be another way – a new cultural patriotism, in which people have pride in the country they know rather than in the traditions that have spawned national holidays and parades. Will that work?

Yascha Mounk joined Dany and Marc to discuss the findings of his new book The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure (Penguin Press). He discusses the concept of cultural patriotism, the problem of multiculturalism and assimilation. They also debate the metaphor of America’s melting pot, American exceptionalism, and the ideals that make America the best country on earth.

Mounk is one of the world’s leading experts on the crisis of liberal democracy and the rise of populism. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and the founder of Persuasion.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with the Conservative Movement? Matt Continetti on "The Hundred Year War for American Conservatism.” Apr 20, 2022

The American Right is at a crossroads. Donald Trump’s presidency continues to divide and challenge the conservative movement both intellectually and politically. What is the future of a principles-first movement in the era of America-First populism? Issues like immigration, the international rules-based order, partisan media, and rising military threats place countervailing pressures on a conservative movement struggling to define its future.

Matt Continetti joined Dany and Marc to discuss his new book, “The Right: The Hundred Year War for American Conservatism” (Basic Books, 2022). The book examines a century of the history of the American Right, Warren Harding to Donald Trump. Matt, Dany and Marc analyze historic ties between the conservative movement and populism and the tension between grassroots conservatives and elites. They also talk about implications for foreign policy and the isolationist streak among conservatives.

Matt Continetti is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where his work is focused on American political thought and history, with a particular focus on the development of the Republican Party and the American conservative movement in the 20th century. He is also a contributing editor at National Review and a columnist for Commentary Magazine. He has been published in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, among other outlets. He also appears frequently on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report” with Bret Baier and MSNBC’s “Meet the Press Daily” with Chuck Todd.

You can learn more about his book here.

Read the transcript here.

WTH is President Zelensky so happy? Arthur Brooks on how we can be like Ukraine's president and find purpose and happiness in our lives Apr 13, 2022

Amid the death and destruction from Russia’s invasion of his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky surprised many when he pronounced last month that his “life today is wonderful.” How can Zelensky—whose war-torn homeland is experiencing increasingly intense fighting and growing civilian casualties—be so optimistic despite the dire circumstances? Is it possible for everyday people to realize the same sense of happiness, courage, and purpose? Is there a secret to happiness and purpose that we can use in our everyday lives to achieve true success?

Arthur C. Brooks joined Marc and Dany to discuss the roadmap for finding purpose, meaning, and success in life, his journey to form new life practices and transform his future, the folly of being addicted to achievement, and his latest #1 bestseller “From Strength to Strength: Finding Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life.”

Arthur Brooks is the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. Before joining the Harvard faculty in 2019, he served for ten years as president of the American Enterprise Institute. Brooks is the author of 12 books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller From Strength to Strength,” and national bestsellers “Love Your Enemies” (2019) and “The Conservative Heart” (2015). He is also a columnist for The Atlantic, host of the podcast “How to Build a Happy Life with Arthur Brooks,” and subject of the 2019 documentary film “The Pursuit,” which Variety named as one of the “Best Documentaries on Netflix” in August 2019. He gives more than 100 speeches per year around the US, Europe, and Asia.

Download the transcript here.

WTH should we do about Putin’s rape, murder and genocide? Former Assistant Secretary of State David Kramer on Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine Apr 06, 2022

Outrage over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine intensified this weekend as horrific reports of Russian war crimes emerged and shocked the world. In what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described as “genocide,” more than 400 civilians were found dead in the northern Ukrainian town of Bucha after it was seized back from Russian forces—with many of those killed shot at close range with their hands tied behind their backs. Despite the Kremlin’s denial that Russian forces were responsible for the killings, Western leaders have called for additional sanctions on Moscow as evidence of similar Russian atrocities throughout Ukraine increases. How should the US and NATO hold Putin accountable? Will Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine mark a tipping point in the conflict?

David Kramer joined Marc and Dany to discuss Russian war crimes in Ukraine, the US response following the atrocities in Bucha, Putin’s domestic crackdown, and how the US can take a tougher stance against the Kremlin.

David Kramer is the Managing Director for Global Policy at the George W. Bush Institute and a Senior Fellow at Florida International University’s Kimberly Green Latin American and Caribbean Center. Previously, Kramer served eight years in the US Department of State during the George W. Bush administration, including as Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs; Professional Staff Member in the Secretary’s Office of Policy Planning; and Senior Advisor to the Undersecretary for Global Affairs. Kramer also was the Executive Director of the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, and from 2010 to 2014, he served as the President of Freedom House. He also chairs the board of the Free Russia Foundation and is the author of the book “Back to Containment: Dealing with Putin’s Regime.”

Download the transcript here.

WTH does defeat for Russia look like? Ambassador Kurt Volker on Putin’s military setbacks and the future of Ukraine Mar 30, 2022

Despite predictions of a swift victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian forces continue to inspire the world as they hold their ground and thwart Russian invasion forces. Since the launch of its attack on Ukraine in February, the Russian military has faced heavy resistance and a growing number of casualties—NATO estimates that up to 40,000 Russian troops have been killed, injured, captured, or gone missing during the first month of the conflict. With its strategic position weakening, Moscow announced this week that it would “dramatically” scale back its military activities around Kyiv. However, Russian forces still pose a significant threat to the capital, and despite continued pleas from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the West has been reluctant to increase its support or provide Ukraine with the fighter aircraft it needs to defend its skies.

Ambassador Kurt Volker joined Marc and Dany to discuss the ramifications of Russia’s inevitable defeat in Ukraine, the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis, and the future of Ukraine.

Ambassador Volker is a Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis and is currently Managing Director, International, and Co-Chair of the Advisory Board at BGR Group. He served as US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations from 2017 to 2019 and as US Ambassador to NATO from 2008 to 2009. He is also President and Founder of Alliance Strategic Advisors, LLC, and from 2012 to 2019, he was the founding Executive Director of The McCain Institute for International Leadership.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with the new Cold War? Former Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger on the West’s growing rivalry with China and Russia Mar 23, 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has brought horror and misery to millions and challenged the US-led international order to an extent unseen since the Cold War. As NATO struggles to mount an effective response to Russia’s aggression, a growing alliance of dictatorships led by Putin and China’s Xi Jinping is attempting to shape the geopolitical order to their interests and against those of the US. With casualties rising in Ukraine and growing fears of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, does the US now find itself in a new Cold War?

Matt Pottinger joins Marc and Dany to discuss the new cold war, the conflict’s ideological underpinnings, and the historical analogies that help explain Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Matt Pottinger is a distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, Chairman of The Foundation for Defense of Democracies China Program, and a Senior Advisor at The Marathon Initiative. From 2019 to 2021, Pottinger served in the White House in senior roles on the National Security Council staff, including as deputy national security advisor. He previously served as senior director for Asia, where he led the administration’s work on the Indo-Pacific region, in particular its shift on China policy. Before his White House service, Pottinger spent the late 1990s and early 2000s in China as a reporter for Reuters and the Wall Street Journal. He then fought in Iraq and Afghanistan as a US Marine during three combat deployments between 2007 and 2010.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Biden doing in Ukraine? Congressman Jimmy Panetta on the right US policy Mar 16, 2022

This past week, plans to bolster Ukraine’s military defenses with MiG fighter jets were derailed when President Biden refused to permit the transfer of the fighters to Ukraine. With the White House and NATO also rejecting a “no-fly zone” over Ukraine, the war’s civilian toll continues to rise. As the war drags, a growing number of Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are calling on the President to ramp up military aid to Ukraine and provide Kyiv with the military assistance it requested.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D) joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Biden administration’s response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the repercussions of the US response in Ukraine, and what the White House needs to do to support Ukraine.

Congressman Panetta is a member of the US House of Representatives, representing California’s 20th Congressional District. First elected in 2016, Panetta currently serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, the House Committee on Agriculture, and the House Committee on Armed Services. He also serves as a Chief Deputy Whip in the 117th Congress. In 2007, Congressman Panetta volunteered for active duty and was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he worked with Special Forces units and, as a result of his meritorious service in a combat zone, was awarded the Bronze Star.

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WTH is going on with military support to Ukraine? Former Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski on NATO's calculus in Ukraine Mar 09, 2022

As Russia continues its bloody invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its NATO allies have responded by levying wide-ranging sanctions against Moscow as well as providing Kyiv with humanitarian, security, and economic assistance. However, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the aid has been largely insufficient in helping turn back the almost two-week-long Russian campaign. With Ukrainian cities increasingly under siege and intelligence estimates suggesting Russian President Vladimir Putin may soon escalate his offensive, this week President Zelensky pleaded for the US and NATO to step up their support by establishing a no-fly zone over the country, banning the purchase of Russian oil, and helping secure more fighter jets. (Late breaking news suggests a NATO deal is underway to get Polish MiGs to Ukraine.)

Radosław Sikorski joined Marc and Dany to discuss Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, President Zelensky’s request for more support from the US and NATO, and the implications of an increased Western response in Ukraine.

Radoslaw Sikorksi is a member of the European Parliament where he serves on the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age (AIDA) and the Subcommittee on Security and Defense (SEDE). He also chairs the Delegation for relations with the United States. Prior to his election to the European Parliament in 2019, Sikorski served as minister of national defense of Poland from 2005 to 2007, minister of foreign affairs from 2007 to 2014, and marshal of the Sejm (speaker of Poland’s parliament) from September 2014 to June 2015. From 2002 to 2005, he was resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. and executive director of the New Atlantic Initiative. Sikorski is the author of several books, including Dust of the Saints and The Polish House: An Intimate History of Poland.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is the military situation in Ukraine? Fred Kagan on Ukraine’s heroic stand against Russia Mar 03, 2022

As Russia’s violent assault on Ukraine enters its second week, causalities on both sides have been climbing, and many of Ukraine’s largest cities remain under siege. Despite Russian combat operations initially facing severe setbacks as a result of a determined Ukrainian resistance, the Russian offensive has been gaining ground in recent days, with Russian troops capturing their first major city, the southern port of Kherson.

Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the current military state of play in Ukraine, Putin’s initial miscalculations, and the Ukrainian people’s heroic stand against Putin’s aggression.

Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the US Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the US military mission.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with sanctions on Russia? Marshall Billingslea on the response to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine Mar 01, 2022

As Moscow intensifies its assault on Ukraine, the United States and its Western allies have responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression by waging a financial war and imposing a barrage of sanctions designed to cripple Russia’s economy. The measures, which have increased in severity in the days since the Russian invasion, caused the ruble to reach its lowest level ever against the dollar and have wrought havoc on Russia’s financial markets and largest banks. With the announcement that the US and its European allies are planning to expel selected Russian banks from the global financial messaging service SWIFT, the Russian economy is in increasing peril.

Marshall Billingslea joined Marc and Dany to discuss the US and the West’s response to Russia’s aggression on Ukraine, the sanctions campaign against the Russian economy, and what the US needs to do to ensure severe financial and military pain for Moscow.

Marshall S. Billingslea is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute, focusing on illicit finance and arms control with the Kleptocracy Initiative. Prior to joining Hudson Institute, Mr. Billingslea was the special presidential envoy for arms control at the US Department of State, holding the rank of ambassador. Before joining the State Department, Mr. Billingslea served as the assistant secretary for terrorist financing at the US Department of the Treasury, and in 2018, he was selected as president of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)—the global anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing body—and co-chaired the global Counter-ISIS Finance.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? Gen. Jack Keane on Biden’s response and the ramifications for US national security Feb 23, 2022

This week, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially recognized the independence of the Moscow-backed breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk and ordered Russian troops to enter the Donbas. After what President Biden (ultimately) called the “beginning of a Russian invasion,” Russia’s blatant violation of Ukrainian national sovereignty has triggered a wave of sanctions from both the US and our European partners. With tensions rising and no sign of Putin being deterred, hopes for a diplomatic resolution continue to fade while the likelihood of more serious confrontation in Ukraine grows by the hour.

General Jack Keane joined Dany and Marc to discuss Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s recognition of two breakaway regions in the Donbas, and the ramifications for US national security if President Biden fails to act.

General Jack Keane is a retired 4 star general, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with Canada’s “Freedom Convoy” protests? The Toronto Sun’s Anthony Furey on the popular uprising against Canada’s Covid police state Feb 16, 2022

In late January, a group of truckers calling themselves the “Freedom Convoy” traveled to the Canadian capital of Ottawa to protest Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cross-border vaccine mandates. However, what started as a modest protest has since mushroomed into a broader movement opposed to Trudeau, vaccine mandates, and draconian Covid restrictions. With over $7.8 million in donations from supporters, the “Freedom Convoy” has inspired similar demonstrations not only across Canada—where protesters blockaded North America’s busiest land border crossing for almost a week— but also in New Zealand, France, Netherlands, and most recently, the United States. In an effort to end the ongoing protests, this week, Trudeau invoked the never-used-before Emergencies Act, giving the Canadian government the broad powers and the authority to take steps to “restore order.”

Canadian columnist Anthony Furey joined Marc and Dany to discuss Canada’s trucker protests, Prime Minister Trudeau’s invocation of the Emergencies Act, Canada’s draconian COVID restrictions, and how the Canadian government is progressively taking away its own citizens freedoms.

Anthony Furey is a national columnist for the Sun newspapers chain in Canada and the host of the Postmedia podcast “Full Comment with Anthony Furey.” He’s also written for TIME, NY Daily News, Literary Review of Canada and other publications. He regularly appears on talk radio and has been featured on BBC, Fox News Channel and other channels. Furey's new book “Pulse Attack: The Real Story Behind The Secret Weapon That Can Destroy North America,” about electromagnetic pulse warfare, is now out and available.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with the genocide Olympics? NBA star Enes Kanter Freedom on the Beijing games, his fight for human rights, and why so many choose money over morals Feb 10, 2022

As the Olympics continue in Communist China alongside Beijing’s continued genocide against the Uighurs, all too few have been willing to call out the tyrants and abusers. Democratic freedoms are under assault from Xinjiang to Ankara to Tehran to Moscow. But the powerful have been strangely reticent. Enes Kanter Freedom, a human rights advocate and center for the Boston Celtics, has committed himself to being a voice for freedom and human rights around the world, calling out injustices despite threats against him and his family.

Enes Kanter Freedom joined Marc and Dany to discuss his human rights activism, using his platform to call out injustice, those trying to keep him silent, and why so many people choose their money over their morals.

Enes Kanter Freedom, originally from Turkey, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics and a human rights advocate. A center, Freedom has played for five NBA teams since entering the league in 2011. In 2021, Freedom officially became a US citizen and legally changed his name to Enes Kanter Freedom at the same time to mark the occasion.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with America’s crime wave? Rafael Mangual on record-breaking violence in America’s cities Feb 02, 2022

In 2020, the United States marked a grim milestone as it experienced its largest-ever single-year homicide spike on record. As murders continued to climb in 2021, 12 major US cities broke their annual homicide records, with many other urban areas suffering near-record high violence.

Rafael Mangual joined Marc and Dany to discuss the impact and driving factors behind America’s crime wave, the failure of our elected leaders and the criminal justice system to hold criminals accountable, and why the criminal justice reform movement is not only misguided but also dangerous.

Rafael Mangual is a senior fellow and head of research for the Policing and Public Safety Initiative at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal. He has authored and coauthored a number of reports and op-eds on issues ranging from urban crime and jail violence to broader matters of criminal and civil justice reform. His work has been featured and mentioned in a wide array of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, New York Post, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer and City Journal. His first book, "Criminal (In)Justice," will be available in July 2022.

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WTH is Putin doing in Ukraine? AEI’s Chris Miller on Biden’s response as Eastern Europe teeters on the brink of war Jan 26, 2022

In what is arguably the most serious crisis in Eastern Europe since the end of the Cold War, Russia has positioned more than 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s border and has sparked fears of an invasion. With tensions at a high, the US and its allies have warned the Kremlin that any invasion will be met with “massive consequences” and “severe economic costs.” A new round of talks is set to begin in Paris this week, but Russia and the West have yet to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Chris Miller joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Russian military mobilization at the Ukrainian border, a potential Russian invasion, Putin’s intentions in Ukraine, and how the US and its allies should respond.

Chris Miller is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on Russian foreign policy, politics, and economics; Russia and Ukraine; Russian-European relations; and Eurasia. He also focuses on semiconductors and the geopolitics of technology. Concurrently, Dr. Miller is assistant professor of international history at the Fletcher School at Tufts University and codirector of the school’s Russia and Eurasia Program. He is also the director of the Eurasia Program and a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI).

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WTH is going on one year after Biden's inauguration? National Journal's Josh Kraushaar on President Biden's angry voting rights push and why the White House has lost touch with American priorities Jan 19, 2022

Following President Biden’s fiery Atlanta voting rights speech last week, it seems that the administration is keen to bring the issue of voting reform to the forefront of its legislative agenda with an accompanying change in the Senate filibuster rules. With debate over two voting rights bills—the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act—expected to begin in the Senate this week, Democratic Senators Manchin and Sinema have made clear the filibuster is here to stay, dooming the federalization of election law for this term.

National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar joined Marc and Dany to discuss Biden’s voting rights push, the president’s inflammatory speech last week in Georgia, the left’s determination to abolish the filibuster, and the Biden administration’s struggling agenda.

Josh Kraushaar is National Journal Daily's Senior National Political Columnist, and pens the weekly "Against the Grain" column. Prior to working at National Journal, he was a political correspondent for Politico, where he reported on congressional campaigns and managed the "Scorecard" blog devoted to up-to-the-minute coverage of elections. Kraushaar has appeared as a political analyst on television and radio, including FOX News, MSNBC, CNN, National Public Radio, and C-SPAN.

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WTH are we doing to America's children? The New York Times’ David Leonhardt on the devastating impact of school shutdowns and why American kids are starting 2022 in crisis Jan 12, 2022

For the past two years, American children have had their lives upended as schools across the country transitioned to remote learning and introduced harsh measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19. As a result, most students have fallen far behind in school, and many children and teenagers are experiencing grave mental health problems. With districts across the country now navigating the Omicron surge, students and parents are worried that educators will again shut their doors and return online.

The New York Times’ David Leonhardt joined Marc and Dany to discuss the damage school closures have on America’s students, why lockdowns disproportionally affect minorities and the poor, how teachers unions are exacerbating the problem, and the pandemics’ long-term impact on our children’s lives.

David Leonhardt is a senior writer for the New York Times, where he writes The Morning newsletter every weekday and also contributes to the Sunday Review section. Leonhardt has worked at The Times since 1999, in a variety of reporting and editing roles. In 2011, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his columns.

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WTH is going on one year after the Jan. 6 Capitol breach? ABC’s Jonathan Karl on last year’s deadly riots at the US Capitol, just how close America was to a constitutional crisis, and his new book “Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show” Jan 05, 2022

This week, the United States will mark one year since the disgraceful and violent Capitol insurrection of January 6, 2020. The culmination of Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ surrounding the 2020 presidential election, last year’s Capitol riots marked a focal point in America’s political polarization and may have brought the country closer to a constitutional crisis than we previously believed.

Jonathan Karl joined Marc and Dany to reflect on the first anniversary of the Capitol riot and discuss the final year of the Trump presidency, the 2020 presidential election, and his recent book “Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show.”

Jonathan Karl is the chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and co-anchor of This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Karl has covered every major beat in Washington, D.C., including the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, and the State Department. He has reported from the White House under four presidents and fourteen press secretaries. He is a former president of the White House Correspondents’ Association and the author of “Front Row at the Trump Show” and “Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show.”

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WTH is Project Exodus Relief? How a group of veterans and patriots are working to rescue the American citizens and Afghan allies left behind Dec 15, 2021

Despite President Biden’s vow to leave no man behind, when the last American plane departed Kabul in August, hundreds of American citizens and thousands of our Afghan allies were left stranded and at the mercy of the Taliban. In the face of government inaction, a group of US veterans formed Project Exodus Relief, a non-partisan volunteer effort dedicated to bringing Afghan special forces out.

Mike Edwards joined Marc and Dany to discuss the volunteer effort of Project Exodus Relief, the mess of the Afghanistan withdrawal, and what Americans need to know about those we left behind.

Mike is the Founder of Project Exodus Relief. He served 22 years and 18 combat deployments in the Army, primarily in special operations with the Regimental Reconnaissance Company.

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WTH is going on with Omicron? Dr. Marty Makary on why we shouldn’t panic about the newest Covid-19 variant and the facts that you do not hear from the CDC Dec 08, 2021

First detected last month in South Africa, the new Omicron strain of the coronavirus has been designated a “variant of concern” by both the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. Dozens of countries have detected Omicron infections, and in the United States, at least 16 states have reported cases. While scientists are still in the early stages of researching the new variant, early reports suggest that while Omicron may have greater transmissibility than other variants due to its unique set of mutations, it causes less severe symptoms than other forms of the virus.

Dr. Marty Makary joins Marc and Dany to discuss the Omicron variant, the failure of the CDC, and the underappreciated strength of natural immunity.

Dr. Makary is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Carey Business School. He is the author of “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care—and How to Fix It.”

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on at the Supreme Court? John Yoo on Mississippi’s abortion law, the showdown at the Supreme Court, and implications for Roe v. Wade Dec 02, 2021

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, a landmark case centered on a 2018 Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The legal battle is the most consequential test of abortion rights in decades, and the outcome will have direct implications on the fate of the court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion, and its 1992 ruling in Planned Parenthood v. Casey that reaffirmed and amended Roe.

John Yoo joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Mississippi law, its effects on the future of abortion rights in the United States, and how the justices might rule on the case next year.

John Yoo is a Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, and a visiting scholar at AEI. He served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of the Legal Counsel of the US Department of Justice, where he worked on constitutional and national security matters, as General Counsel of the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas.

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WTH is critical race theory? A WTH greatest hit: How a philosophy that inspired Marxism, Nazism, and Jim Crow is making its way into our schools, and what we can do Nov 24, 2021

One of our greatest hits…. Originally broadcast on June 23, 2021.

The national conversation about race is making its way through the US education system. Seemingly overnight, debates about whether to teach children critical race theory have taken hold of state legislatures and school board meetings across the country. But what exactly is critical race theory and why is it so controversial?

Princeton’s Dr. Allen Guelzo joined Dany and Marc to explain critical race theory’s philosophical underpinnings and why it poses a threat to American democracy. Dr. Guelzo also discusses ways to combat its spread throughout American society and the US education system.

Dr. Guelzo is a New York Times best-seller author, American historian and commentator on public issues. He is also Director of the James Madison Program Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship and Senior Research Scholar in the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University.

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WTH is going on with CRT denial? Yascha Mounk on why it’s intellectually dishonest and electorally disastrous for Democrats to deny critical race theory is being taught in schools Nov 18, 2021

Critical race theory has transformed from a once-obscure academic concept to an issue at the forefront of America's political discourse. In the wake of Glenn Youngkin's victory in Virginia, many have viewed his opposition to critical race theory and his concerns surrounding the teaching of race in schools as a significant factor in his success in this month's election. With the 2022 midterms fast approaching, critical race theory is set to be a hot-button issue as the Republicans attempt to take back control of congress.

Yascha Mounk joined Marc and Dany to discuss critical race theory, the current rhetoric on race in the United States, how the Democrat's lost the education narrative, and the stifling of free speech.

Mounk is one of the world's leading experts on the crisis of liberal democracy and the rise of populism. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and the founder of Persuasion.

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WTH is going on with China’s hypersonic missiles? Thomas Karako on China’s recent hypersonic missile test, the science behind it, and what it means for US national security Nov 10, 2021

This past August, we learned that China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile that circled the globe before streaking towards its target. This advanced weapons capability surprised many in the US intelligence community and has sparked both questions and concerns surrounding the true extent of China’s military modernization.

Thomas Karako joined Marc and Dany to discuss the science behind China’s recent hypersonic missile test, the strategic and security implications of such a weapon in the hands of the Chinese, and what the United States needs to do to safeguard our national security from this threat.

Karako is a senior fellow with the International Security Program and the director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). In 2010–2011, he was an American Political Science Association congressional fellow, working with the professional staff of the House Armed Services Committee and the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces on US strategic forces policy, nonproliferation, and NATO. Dr. Karako is also currently a fellow with the Institute for Politics and Strategy of Carnegie Mellon University.

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WTH is going on LIVE! The Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter on what happened in Virginia’s recent election and what it means for 2022 … and 2024 Nov 05, 2021

In this week's Virginia governor's race, Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated former Governor Terry McAuliffe in a state that President Biden won by 10 points in 2020. In New Jersey, a state Biden won by 16 points, Democratic Governor Phil Murphy only defeated his Republican challenger by a razor-thin margin. What do these elections tell us about the current state of our politics and the upcoming 2022 midterm elections?

Political expert Amy Walter joined Marc and Dany for WTH's first live podcast episode to discuss Virginia's recent gubernatorial election, voter sentiment one year into Biden's presidency, the forces driving American politics, and the upcoming 2022 congressional midterms.

Amy Walter is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. A contributor to the PBS NewsHour, she provides weekly political analysis for the popular "Politics Monday" segment and is a featured contributor for their Election and Convention special coverage events. Previously, Walter was the host of the weekly nationally syndicated program Politics with Amy Walter and the former political director of ABC News.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is “Blood on My Hands”? John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting on his latest single, his frustration with America’s betrayal of Afghanistan, and the power of music Nov 03, 2021

Despite the Biden administration heralding the pull-out from Afghanistan as a "success," America's tumultuous retreat has sparked outrage and shame both in the United States as well as abroad. Following the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 13 US service members and close to 170 Afghan civilians, Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik decided to turn his frustration into a song to protest the American withdrawal.

John joined Marc and Dany to discuss his latest track, "Blood on My Hands," his horror after the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, and perform two of his songs, "Tuesday" and "Blood On My Hands."

John Ondrasik, better known by his stage name Five for Fighting, is a platinum-selling, Grammy nominated American singer-songwriter. His songs include "100 Years," "Superman (It's Not Easy)," "Chances," "The Riddle," "Freedom Never Cries," "What If," and his latest single, "Blood On My Hands."

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with climate change? Bjorn Lomborg on the upcoming COP26 Glasgow summit, some inconvenient truths about climate-driven phenomena, and how to manage climate change effectively Oct 27, 2021

From October 31 to November 12, representatives and diplomats from some 200 countries, as well as business executives, activists, researchers, industry leaders, and celebrities, will convene in Glasgow, Scotland, for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). If history is any indication, negotiations will be driven by apocalyptic climate rhetoric and unrealistic climate goals. Countries will over promise and under deliver.

Bjorn Lomborg joined Marc and Dany to discuss climate alarmism, effective ways to address climate change, the need for innovation and adaptation, and the upcoming climate negotiations.

Mr. Lomborg is president of the Copenhagen Consensus and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution. For this work, Lomborg was named one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. He is the author of the best-selling "False Alarm: How Climate Change Panic Costs Us Trillions, Hurts the Poor, and Fails to Fix the Planet," "The Skeptical Environmentalist," and "Cool It."

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with the economy? AEI’s Mike Strain on worker shortages, supply chain disruptions, inflation, and Biden’s coming sad Christmas Oct 21, 2021

According to the US Department of Labor, there were a near-record 10.4 million job openings in August. Costs are spiking, supply chains are broken, and Congress wants to spend more money to fix the problem.

AEI scholar Michael Strain joined the show to discuss what is keeping people out of the workforce, the effects of enhanced unemployment benefits on the economy’s supply and demand, and the future of the American economy.

Michael Strain is the Director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at AEI. Before joining AEI, he worked in the Center for Economic Studies at the US Census Bureau.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is with all the Trump 2024 political hysteria? Holman Jenkins on the overwrought fears of our democratic demise, the Russian collusion canard, and why Democrats need to stop lying to themselves and acknowledge they are part of the problem too Oct 13, 2021

With rising speculation that former President Donald Trump will seek the 2024 GOP nomination and make a run for the White House, many on the left and in the media see another Trump presidency as a harbinger of a constitutional crisis on a scale unmatched since the Civil War. However, if the past five years have taught us anything, it is that Trump and his supporters are not the sole authors of our political mess.

Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. joined Marc and Dany to discuss Trump, the Russian collusion hoax, the abdication of the press, and the real threats to our political system and institutions.

Holman Jenkins is a member of the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal and the author of its biweekly “Business World” column. Mr. Jenkins won a 1997 Gerald Loeb Award for distinguished business and financial coverage, and in 2013 he became the inaugural winner of the Calvin Coolidge Prize for Journalism.

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WTH is a Liberal Patriot? Brian Katulis and Ruy Teixeira on the need for a liberal nationalism, the state of the Democratic Party, and the current battle of ideas in American society Oct 06, 2021

At the start of 2021, four prominent voices on the political left created the popular Substack ‘The Liberal Patriot.’ Motivated by what they saw as a gap in analyses on US politics and foreign policy, John Halpin, Ruy Teixeira, Peter Juul, and Brian Katulis seek to use their publication to promote a new liberal nationalism on the center-left and a more open-minded and inclusive approach to thinking about political and social issues.

Two of The Liberal Patriot’s co-editors, Brian Katulis and Ruy Teixeira, joined Marc and Dany to discuss their writing, the foundations of liberal and inclusive nationalism, the political conversation on the American center-left, and the current state of modern political discourse.

The Liberal Patriot was created by co-editors John Halpin, Ruy Teixeira, Peter Juul, and Brian Katulis. Together, all four have decades of experience in the fields of political ideology; electoral analysis; public opinion; demography; and national security and international policy.

Download the transcript here.

WTH was behind our COVID failure? Dr. Scott Gottlieb on his new book “Uncontrolled Spread,” the catastrophic initial response, and the lessons learned from the COVID pandemic Sep 29, 2021

Since the United States recorded its first Covid-19 related fatality in February 2020, over half a million Americans have died from the virus, and an estimated 43 million total cases have been reported in the country. How was America so unprepared for this pandemic? And how can we ensure that we are prepared for the next public health disaster?

Dr. Scott Gottlieb once again joined Marc and Dany to discuss his new book “Uncontrolled Spread: Why COVID-19 Crushed Us and How We Can Defeat the Next Pandemic.” He also talks about the current reality of the Delta variant and what a future with endemic COVID may look like.

Dr. Gottlieb is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. He returned to AEI in 2019 after serving as the 23rd Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. He has a medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and did his residency in internal medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is happening on the ground in Afghanistan? WSJ reporter Yaroslav Trofimov on his travels around post-US withdrawal, the reshuffling of global power relations, and the future of a Taliban controlled state Sep 22, 2021

Following the United States’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, there is much debate about how America’s exit will impact its reputation on the world stage and whether rivals such as China and Russia will benefit. While President Biden has justified the withdrawal decision on the grounds of refocusing American strategic priorities around the globe, other countries are now seeking to expand their influence with the newly established Taliban-controlled government of Afghanistan.

Yaroslav Trofimov joined Dany and Marc to discuss his reporting from Afghanistan, the global balance of power now that the US has left, the goals and priorities of the Taliban, and what the Chinese and Russians are up to.

Yaroslav Trofimov is the chief foreign-affairs correspondent of The Wall Street Journal. He joined the Journal in 1999 and previously served as Rome, Middle East and Singapore-based Asia correspondent, as bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and as Dubai-based columnist on the greater Middle East. He is the author of two books, “Faith at War” (2005) and “Siege of Mecca” (2007).

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with the hostages in Afghanistan? Elliot Ackerman on those left behind and the Americans working to get them out Sep 15, 2021

While an estimated 120,000 Americans, NATO allied citizens, and Afghan allies were evacuated from Afghanistan during the US military withdrawal, many Afghans who worked directly with the US were left behind as the last American planes departed Kabul on August 31. According to a State Department official, a majority of special immigrant visa applicants were not evacuated and still remain in Afghanistan, putting them at additional risk for Taliban retribution. In the absence of the US government, ad hoc groups of veterans, journalists and activists have taken it upon themselves to help rescue both US citizens and our Afghan partners from Afghanistan.

Elliot Ackerman joined Marc and Dany to discuss Biden’s botched withdrawal, American private citizens working to evacuate the Taliban’s hostages still trapped in Afghanistan, and how we can all do our part to help our Afghan partners.

Elliot Ackerman is the author of four novels. He is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on 20 years after 9/11? An Afghanistan war veteran who lost his dad in the Twin Towers remembers Sep 08, 2021

It has been 20 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001, took the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people and shook America to its core. While much has changed in the two decades since that tragic day, Americans have not forgotten those who perished, as well as the survivors, victims’ families, and the first responders whose lives were irreversibly changed in an instant.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Marc and Dany spoke with Patrick Dowdell about his father, an FDNY first responder who died in the Twin Towers, and reflected on his dad’s life and legacy.

Patrick Dowdell is the son of New York City firefighter Lt. Kevin Dowdell, who died on 9/11. Following his graduation from the United States Military Academy West Point, Dowdell became a US Army captain, serving in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

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WTH is going on with the retreat from Afghanistan? Amb. Ryan Crocker on America’s betrayal, Biden’s catastrophic withdrawal, and the consequences for US national security Sep 01, 2021

On Tuesday, the United States ended its evacuation mission in Kabul, marking the conclusion of two decades of the American military mission in Afghanistan. Since mass evacuations began on August 14, both Americans and NATO allies have criticized President Biden for what they view as a catastrophic execution of an already flawed decision to withdraw. Following last Thursday’s suicide bombing at the Hamid Karzai International Airport that resulted in the death of 13 US service members and more than 200 Afghan civilians, it is has become ever more clear that Biden’s withdrawal was little short of a disaster.

Amb. Ryan Crocker joined Marc and Dany to discuss the execution of Biden’s Afghanistan evacuation, America’s betrayal of Afghanistan, and the national security ramifications of the American withdrawal.

Amb. Crocker is an American retired diplomat, a career ambassador within the United States Foreign Service, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was a United States ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon, serving both Republican and Democratic administrations.

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WTH is going on with the Taliban takeover? Frederick Kagan on the fall of Kabul, the Afghan army’s role, and Biden’s surrender to the Taliban Aug 18, 2021

Almost 20 years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Taliban are back in control of the country. After President Biden’s decision to depart Afghanistan regardless of conditions on the ground, and the withdrawal of U.S. intelligence and air support to the Afghan army, the Taliban rapidly advanced, culminating in the collapse of the Afghan government.

Dr. Frederick W. Kagan joined Marc and Dany to discuss the Taliban takeover, President Biden’s decision, the role of the Afghan army, and the impact on al Qaeda.

Kagan is the director of AEI’s Critical Threats Project and a former professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He served on the ground in Afghanistan, providing civilian support to the U.S. military mission.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with breakthrough infections? Dr. Marty Makary explains why renewed panic over COVID-19 is unwarranted Jul 28, 2021

For many vaccinated Americans the pandemic is all but over, but the political struggle over COVID-19 continues. At the same time, the new and highly contagious delta variant has many calling for a return to mask mandates first implemented at the height of the pandemic.

Dr. Marty Makary joins Marc and Dany to discuss why some Americans aren’t getting the vaccine, how much we should really be concerned about the delta variant and breakthrough infections, and whether new mandates on masks and vaccines are warranted in our communities and schools. They also talk about America’s global pandemic response and the future of COVID-19 in America.

Dr. Makary is a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Carey Business School. He is the author of “The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care—and How to Fix It.”

Download the transcript here.

WTH is Havana Syndrome? Catherine Herridge discusses whether Russia is responsible for covert neurological attacks on US personnel Jul 21, 2021

Over the past five years, more than 130 US government personnel have been impacted by a strange neurological condition known as "Havana Syndrome,” causing chronic headaches, memory problems, loss of stability and other brain injuries. First identified in Havana, Cuba, in 2016 and largely overlooked by the US government, evidence increasingly suggests that Havana Syndrome may be the result of targeted attacks by Moscow.

CBS’ Catherine Herridge joins Marc and Dany to discuss her investigation into Havana Syndrome, evidence that the condition is the result of a targeted attack, and why Moscow is likely responsible. They also talk about the US response and how to help those affected.

Catherine Herridge is an award-winning senior investigative correspondent for CBS News covering national security and intelligence. Prior to joining CBS News, Herridge was the chief intelligence correspondent for FOX News Channel and worked as a TV and radio correspondent for ABC News in London.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on in Cuba? The people are demanding freedom; will this be the moment the Communist dictatorship falls? Jul 15, 2021

The people of Cuba are rising up against their government and calling for freedom and basic rights. Enabled by new access to social media, protestors are demanding liberty after decades of political and economic abuses exacerbated by the weight of the pandemic. Will the Cuban people finally throw off their dictators?

Roger Noriega joined Dany and Marc to talk about the decades-long political and economic oppression that led to the current demonstrations, how social media has enabled opposition to the regime, and how the US and international community can help the Cuban people win their freedom.

Roger Noriega is the founder and managing director of the consultant firm VisiónAméricas LLC. He has served as both US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs and as US Ambassador to the Organization of American States. Noriega was also a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute from 2005-2020.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with inflation? Are rising prices a temporary, post-COVID phenomenon or here to stay? Jul 07, 2021

Inflation is taking off across the country, with prices up 5% in May compared with a year ago and the US recording its highest rate since 2008. Everything costs more, and many Americans are worried about whether inflation is simply a temporary, post-COVID phenomenon, or a sign of deeper economic issues.

AEI scholar Michael Strain joined the show to discuss the causes behind rising prices, the Fed’s response, and how government stimulus during the pandemic has shaped economic policy. Marc, Dany and Mike also talked about how to take on long-term problems facing the American economy.

Michael Strain is the Director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at AEI. Before joining AEI, he worked in the Center for Economic Studies at the US Census Bureau and in the macroeconomics research group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on in Afghanistan? Gen. Jack Keane on the US withdrawal, Taliban takeover, and Biden’s failure to learn from history Jun 30, 2021

Twenty years after 9/11, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan is moving faster than expected, and so is the Taliban’s takeover. The Taliban have already taken more than 50 of the country’s 400 districts since May, with the US intelligence community predicting that the Afghan government could fall within six months of Biden’s withdrawal.

General Jack Keane joined Dany and Marc to discuss America’s strategic goals in Afghanistan, why the Taliban are making such strong gains, and the danger that a Taliban takeover would pose to US national security.

General Keane is a retired 4 star general, former Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army, the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War and Fox News Senior Strategic Analyst.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is critical race theory? How a philosophy that inspired Marxism, Nazism, and Jim Crow is making its way into our schools, and what we can do Jun 23, 2021

The national conversation about race is making its way through the US education system. Seemingly overnight, debates about whether to teach children critical race theory have taken hold of state legislatures and school board meetings across the country. But what exactly is critical race theory and why is it so controversial?

Princeton’s Dr. Allen Guelzo joined Dany and Marc to explain critical race theory’s philosophical underpinnings and why it poses a threat to American democracy. Dr. Guelzo also discusses ways to combat its spread throughout American society and the US education system.

Dr. Guelzo is a New York Times best-seller author, American historian and commentator on public issues. He is also Director of the James Madison Program Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship and Senior Research Scholar in the Council of the Humanities at Princeton University.

Download the transcript here.

WTH happened at the Biden-Putin summit? Leon Aron on why the US-Russia meeting was a win for Putin Jun 17, 2021

President Joe Biden returned from his first overseas trip this week, wrapping up the festivities with a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Talking tough on Putin ahead of the meeting, the Biden administration advertised a hard-hitting discussion about the countries’ relationship and Russian misdeeds.

Dr. Leon Aron joined the show to walk us through what actually happened at the long-anticipated summit. He explains that while the leaders discussed cyberattacks, arms control, and the US-Russia relationship, Biden gained little to nothing from the meeting, while the summit legitimized the Putin regime.

Dr. Aron, who was born in Moscow and came to the United States as a refugee in 1978, is a resident scholar and the director of Russian studies at AEI. He studies Russian domestic and foreign policy, US-Russia relations, and the economic, social, and cultural aspects of Russia’s post-Soviet evolution.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with population decline? Nick Eberstadt on the implications for America of a world with fewer children Jun 09, 2021

Demographers have sounded the alarm on global depopulation, predicting that in the latter half of the 21st century, global population will enter sustained decline for the first time in history. American fertility rates are dropping and China’s population is predicted to fall from 1.4 billion to 730 million by the end of the century.

Demographer and AEI scholar Nick Eberstadt joined Dany and Marc to discuss whether we should be concerned about long-term depopulation forecasts. He also talks about the graying of China under the Chinese Communist Party, and the changing values of American society.

Nick Eberstadt is the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at AEI, where he researches and writes extensively on demographics and economic development generally, and more specifically on international security in the Korean peninsula and Asia. He is also a senior adviser to the National Bureau of Asian Research.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with the Iranian nuclear program? David Albright analyzes Iran’s secret nuclear archives Jun 02, 2021

Biden administration officials and European diplomats have been negotiating an American reentry into Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, in Vienna in recent weeks. As talks continue, some American allies and experts have expressed concern at the pace of the president’s attempts to revive the deal.

Nuclear weapons expert David Albright joined Dany and Marc to discuss his new book with Sarah Burkhard, Iran’s Perilous Pursuit of Nuclear Weapons, based on Iran’s own nuclear archives spirited from a secret warehouse in Tehran. They also talk about the amount of time it would take for Iran to produce a nuclear weapon, how it will be delivered, and the administration’s eagerness to reenter the deal.

David Albright, a physicist, is founder and President of the non-profit Institute for Science and International Security. He is a former weapons inspector and has written numerous assessments on secret nuclear weapons programs throughout the world.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with the Covid lab leak theory? Rep. Mike Gallagher on the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the pandemic’s origin and the possible Chinese cover-up May 26, 2021

After labeling the Wuhan lab leak theory a conspiracy, the mainstream media and prominent scientists – even Dr. Fauci – are beginning to take the Covid origin story seriously. To further investigate the hypothesis, Rep. Mike Gallagher has asked the Biden administration to declassify the intelligence surrounding research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

On our latest episode, Rep. Gallagher joined Dany and Marc to discuss the pandemic’s origins and the growing evidence of a Chinese lab leak and cover-up. He also talks about the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s potential links to US funding through the EcoHealth Alliance.

First elected in 2016, Rep. Gallagher represents Wisconsin’s 8th District in the US House of Representatives. He served in the Marine Corps for seven years and as the lead Republican staffer for Middle East, North Africa, and Counterterrorism on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is going on with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? What’s fueling the fighting, Iran’s role, Biden’s response May 19, 2021

The latest round of fighting between Israel and Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas has grown increasingly violent in recent days, with Iranian-backed Hamas firing thousands of rockets at Israel, and Israel responding in turn. How will the conflict play out? And should the United States be taking a more proactive role?

Jonathan Schanzer joined Dany and Marc to discuss what’s fueling the latest round of violence. They also talk about the Biden administration’s response, the role of the Iran nuclear deal, and what it all means for the future of Arab-Israeli peace.

Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He is also on the leadership team of FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power. Schanzer previously worked as a terrorism finance analyst at the US Department of the Treasury and has held think tank positions at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the Middle East Forum.

Download the transcript here.

WTH is really going on with the climate? An Obama administration scientist on climate myth and reality May 12, 2021

Prominent politicians and the media have long stated that the science behind climate change is settled. However, in his new book “Unsettled: What Climate Science Tells Us, What It Doesn’t, and Why It Matters,” Obama administration scientist Dr. Steve Koonin dispels a number of misleading claims surrounding the climate change debate.

On this episode, Dr. Koonin joins Dany and Marc to give his politics-free take. He reviews US government and UN climate assessments, explaining that the facts do not support climate change hysteria. While Dr. Koonin agrees that the climate is changing, he points out that the why and how are not as clear as you’ve likely been led to believe. And that the solutions being mooted won’t work.

Dr. Koonin is a Professor at New York University, with appointments in the Stern School of Business, the Tandon School of Engineering, and the Department of Physics. Dr. Koonin served as Undersecretary for Science in the US Department of Energy under President Obama, where his portfolio included the climate research program and energy technology strategy.

Download the transcript here.

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